Appearances
by mollyjr3
Summary: A street rat by the name of Darcey Bois comes to the Opera Populaire to ask for a job as a stagehand. He is given the job but the Phantom is not pleased. He decides to talk to Mme. Giry about it but hesitates when he sees the boys injuries. He decides to give the boy a chance. He will discover that the boy is not all that he appears.
1. Chapter 1: The Street Rat

**A/N: And here goes another Phanfiction. I'm trying some new things this time around so bare with me. Let me know what you think of it. Thanks!**

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**Chapter One:**

**The Street Rat**

Darcey looked around the front hall of the Opera Populaire. The statues were gold and shined brightly in the sun. The marble floors looked freshly polished. It was beautiful. The overall effect left a person feeling unworthy and dirty, especially a certain street rat. Darcey was busy admiring the statues and marble floors and didn't notice the woman in the hall.

"Hello? May I help you, Monsieur?" she said, looking at the boy.

He straightened his vest and cleared his voice. "Yes, Mme. My name is Darcey Bois. I would like to work here."

She looked at him with disbelief, at his ragged appearance. He had a pretty face but who knows if he had talent. "Can you sing?"

The boy blushed. "I meant to help clean or set up props or something. My voice is... inappropriate for the stage."

The woman's face eased into a gentle smile. "Ah. So you want to be a stagehand?"

The boy seemed to relax as he smiled back. "Exactly. I'll work hard. I just want a place off the streets. Can I get a job?"

She looked him over from head to toe. He had green eyes with dark blue rims, black, mostly straight hair that went a little past his ears, was slimly built and slightly tan with freckles from time spent in the sun. He wore a white shirt, dark green vest, and black knee-length trousers. He looked honest enough, far more honest than some of the current stagehands, and looked capable. "Alright. You've got the job. My name is Mme. Giry. What did you say your name was?"

"Darcey D... I mean Bois."

She looked at him suspiciously but let it go. "Welcome Monsieur Bois."

"Please, call me Darcey," he said, a smile on his face as he offered a hand for her to shake.

She shook his hand, noting how delicate and small it looked. "Let me show you around.

"That sounds great. You have no idea how grateful I am for this job."

"Think nothing of it. Everyone needs a place to call their own. Which reminds me that I should show you to your quarters. Do you need to go get your belongings?"

Darcey shook his head. "This is all I have, Mme." He looked embarrassed so she dropped the subject and began to show him around.

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'Who is this boy and what is he doing in my opera house?' the Phantom of the Opera thought. The opera ghost had watched the boy as Mme. Giry had shown the little street rat around. He didn't belong here. Even as a stagehand. There was something about the boy that wasn't quite right. He appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen and his voice had yet to change. Under all the dirt, he seemed to have a pretty face. The poor boy would probably be swarmed by the ballerinas. No. He wasn't going to be staying. There was something untrustworthy about this boy.

After Mme. Giry had shown the boy to his room, the Phantom had stood, watching the boy as he looked around in awe of his surroundings. He then walked to the mirror to look at his reflection. He frowned, grimacing at his dirty appearance. He walked over to the bowl of water on the bedside table. The Phantom blushed when the boy stripped off his vest and shirt only to frown when he saw the bandages wrapped around his torso. What had happened to him?

The boy dipped a cloth in the bowl and began to wash off layers of dirt. The Phantom started to turn away, to leave the boy in peace, when a long cut was revealed on his arm. The boy hissed in pain but continued washing the wound, the water in the bowl gradually turning red and brown from the blood and dirt. What had happened to this boy? As more cuts were revealed, the Phantom frowned. Sure he didn't want the boy to stay but he didn't want him to die either, and if the cuts were a sign as to the extent of the chest wound, he needed them taken care of. The Phantom grumbled to himself as he left to go to his lair to get medical supplies.

"This does not mean he is allowed to stay," he said aloud to himself as he gathered the supplies. He placed them all in a bag He hesitated before he went and grabbed some old clothes and placed them in the bag as well. He wrote a short note before he returned to the boy's room to find he had finished bathing and had fallen asleep on top of the bed. The Phantom shook his head at the boy's sleeping form. He hadn't taken the time to dress more than his trousers. He had a pretty face and a slender form. He shuttered at the sight of the water basin but set the bag down on top of the dressed, placing the note on top before leaving the boy to rest.


	2. Chapter 2: The Secret Door

**A/N: Well... I was going to get this done and posted yesterday but... That didn't happen. I got video chatting with some of my friends and... yeah... Anyways... Here it is! Hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter Two:**

**The Secret Door**

Darcey rubbed tired eyes and stretched sore muscles. Sitting up, Darcey happened to see a bag with a note on top of the dresser next to the bed. His face scrunched up in confusion. 'What is this? Who would bring me something?' Darcey through his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, walking over to stand in front of the dresser. He picked up the note and opened it, noting the red skull seal.

_Darcey Bois, _

_I could not but help notice your injuries. Inside the bag, you will find some clothing and medical supplies. While I do not approve of your presence at my opera house, I do not want anyone to needlessly die. _

_-O.G._

'O.G. Who is that?' He flipped the note back over to look at the red seal. A skull. O.G. "Opera Ghost," he whispered aloud in recognition. He set down the note and opened the bag to find a dark blue shirt and a black pair of trousers. He changed into the trousers but decided to treat his injuries before putting on the shirt. Pulling out a container of ointment, he opened it and spread a layer across the wounds. He hissed at the pain as the ointment penetrated deep into the cuts. He then wrapped them up with the strips of cloth that were also from the bag. This done, he quickly loosened the bandages around his chest so he could breath easier then he pulled the shirt on and buttoned up his old vest over top. He looked down at his threadbare and holey stockings and reached back into the bag, hoping that there might be some in the bag. He grinned as he pulled some out of the bag. He replaced his own worn ones before pulling on his old shoes. He sighed. They would just have to work.

He stood and opened the door and was almost ran over by one of the ballerinas as she rushed down the hallway. He straightened his vest before walking down the hallway in the same direction as the girl.

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"What is that horrible screeching?" Darcey exclaimed.

Several of the stagehands chuckled. "That, my boy, would be La Carlotta."

Darcey grimaced. She sounded horrible! How was she the lead singer? "Glad I'm not on stage with her," Darcey muttered, causing several stagehands, close enough to hear, to laugh.

"Aren't we all."

As Carlotta continued to screech, Darcey did his best to ignore her, he took a look around the rafters. There were many stage props from old productions and ropes, levers, and pulleys to control the big set pieces. Darcey was about to turn around when he noticed a door. It was barely noticeable and could easily be mistaken for the wall that surrounded it. He was about to open it when he heard one of the stagehands call. He turned back, making a mental note to check it out when the rehearsal was over and He was no longer needed to help out.

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"Finally," Darcey whispered, climbing back up to the rafters and over to the door he had found earlier. Rehearsals with the screeching Carlotta, had been less than enjoyable. Time had seemed to slow down as she continued to sing, if you could call it singing. Shivering at the memory, He opened the door and coughed from the dust in the air. This door had obviously not been used recently. Hearing a sound, Darcey quickly stepped in and closed the door, casting the passage into darkness. It only took a few seconds for Darcey's eyes to adjust to the all too familiar dim light. Walking carefully down the passageway, he shivered as a cool breeze drifted through.

Suddenly the floor collapsed underneath his feet.

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"Who dares to intrude?" a voice said. Sitting up, Darcey looked around to find himself to be, seemingly, alone.

"Hello? Who's there?" Darcey caught movement out of the corner of his eye. A dark figure and a flash of white, but it had moved but had disappeared by the time Darcey had looked that way. "Where are you? Why are you hiding?"

"My, my. So many questions." Before Darcey could even blink, he was seized from behind. Two strong hands grabbed his arms. Darcey jerked, trying to get free. "You will have to try harder to get away from me," the voice whispered in his ear. Darcey took a breath before stomping as hard as possible on his attackers foot and successfully pulling out of the strong grip. Darcey started running blindly, hoping to escape but was once again seized from behind, this time with an arm across tight across his stomach and one across his chest, successfully pinning Darcey's arms. The grip pulled Darcey tight against the attacker's body and suddenly released. Darcey spun around to see a white mask on an incredulous face. "You're a girl."


	3. Chapter 3: Names

**A/N: Hehehe. How many of you were surprised? Let me know if you like this story. If so please make sure to leave a review and favorite/follow if you'd like. I appreciated the feedback on my first fanfiction, Imperfectly Perfect. If you haven't read that one yet, I would love it if you would and let me know what you thought. Hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter Three:**

**Names**

"You're a girl?" the Phantom asked incredulous. Now that he knew, it was quite obvious and he wondered why he hadn't seen it before. Darcey blushed. If that was even her name. "What's your name?"

"Darcey Bois," she answered, her voice trembling. He stared at her with an unwavering gaze. She was fidgeting with her vest.

"You're lying to me," he snarled before grabbing her arm and practically dragging her along. She stumbled forward, having trouble keeping up. He didn't bother to slow down to accommodate for her shorter stride. After several turns and twists, they came out to find themselves in his lair. He let her go and she stumbled to fall to her knees. She wiped at her face and he froze for a second. Was she... crying?

"What are you going to do with me?" she asked, emotion evident in her voice. She wrapped her arms around herself and he could tell she was shaking. Was she really so scared of him? She hadn't even seen his face. "Please don't hurt me. Just let me go," she continued. He looked at her, really looked at her. She wasn't even looking at him anymore. Her eyes seemed clouded over as if she was reliving a memory. A bad one from what he could tell. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and she jerked away, her watery eyes coming to lock on his. He watched as her eyes cleared and she visibly relaxed.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently, trying not to upset her. He may not be happy with her and sure he wanted answers, but he never intended to make her cry. Her tears were making him feel weak. The Phantom of the Opera was anything but weak.

She wiped tears off her cheeks and cleared her throat as she straightened her spine. "Sorry, I'm fine. Where are we?" She looked around at her surroundings.

He noticed the change of subject but chose to go with it. If she did not want to talk about it, he wouldn't force her despite his curiosity. "This is my lair," he said, spreading his arms to indicate all that she could see.

She took in her surroundings, impressed with the organ and the lake that looked like a sheet of glass. She stood up from her position, kneeling on the ground, and looked at him with a question in her eyes. He gave a slight nod, indicating that she could look around. She stepped past him to examine the organ more closely. There were many pieces of paper, most with some music notes and lyrics scribbled onto them. She let her fingers brush the worn keys before gently pressing down a note to send out a clear pleasant sound out into the air. She glanced at the floor and noticed a violin. She had always wished to learn how to play one but her parents had never found a teacher for her. She continued, slowly making her way around the room, noting the stage, the covered and uncovered mirrors, and a bedchamber with a swan bed. His realm was exquisite. She found her breath taken away and was completely awestruck. There were candelabras everywhere, casting everything in a warm yellow light. It was absolutely beautiful.

She finally made it back to where she had started and found that he was standing in the same place and that he had been watching her as she explored. She couldn't find her voice but she guessed her expression was words enough. "Impressed?" he asked, amusement evident in his tone and in the smirk on his face. She nodded as she was still struck by her surroundings. He chuckled lightly. "Now then. What is your name?"

"Darcey Bois."

Rage filled his eyes. "You're still lying to me! What is your real name?"

She crossed her arms. "That is the name I am going by now. I might ask what your name is." She smirked at his expression.

She was refusing to answer him, the notorious Phantom of the Opera? Was she not afraid of him? "The only name you need to know is the Phantom."

"And the only name _y__ou_ need to know is Darcey Bois," she said, rebellion evident in her stance. At his glare, she smirked. "At least my first name is correct. It is my nickname and the name I used to go by even before I started pretending to be a boy."

He picked up something off of a table, something she quickly recognized as a Punjab lasso. He stepped around her until he was behind her. "You do realize I could kill you. It would be easy," he whispered in her ear. He heard her swallow but her back remained straight.

"I know very well how easy it is to extinguish a human life. You could, but then you would never get your answers. I would remain Darcey Bois. A girl who pretends to be a boy and came to the Opera Populaire as a poor street rat. I'm not afraid of death. It would be heaven compared to what I've faced." She knew she had little to bargain with. She had to hope that maybe his curiosity or maybe even pity, would cause him to let her live. It was a slim chance but it was all she had and despite her words, though it would be easier to face than what she had been forced to experience, she did not wish to die.

He thought about her words. He was more curious than before. He wondered what she had gone through that could be worst than the thought of dying. He didn't want to appear weak but he had no desire to let her believe she had won to him, the Phantom. "Do you like my world? My realm?"

She hesitated before answering the question that seemed to come from out of the blue. "Y-yes," she replied, confusion evident in her voice.

He chuckled sending chills down her spine. "Good," he said walking away to place the rope back. "You will be staying here for a while. Would be a pity if you hated it here."

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**A/N: *Sigh* I just love Erik's lair! I wouldn't mind being taken down there... **


	4. Chapter 4: Haunted

**A/N: I know it looks short. It's driving me crazy. Err... crazier that is ^-^. I swear it's more than 800 words though. Next will be longer I swear. I hope you enjoy anyways. Please Review! I love hearing from you. Please let me know what I can do to be a better writer. Thanks!**

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**Chapter Four:**

**Haunted**

"What?" Darcey exclaimed. He couldn't keep her here! She had a job. Well... Darcey Bois had a job. What if he gave her secret away? She would be vulnerable again. Though she wouldn't be on the streets anymore... No. She would still not be safe. She had heard the rumors.

"You will be staying here," he said, an irritating smirk spread on his face. She felt the urge to growl at him but stifled it. No way was she going to give him the satisfaction that would surely give him.

"No."

"Oh yes you will even if I have to tie you down." He reached for a rope and she backed away. "So what do you say? Stay of your own will or do I need to force you? You must be punished for entering my realm."

"Please, just let me go. I'm not worth the trouble. I'll never bother you or your world again. Just let me go," she pleaded. His eyes seemed to soften at her desperate tone but it must have been her imagination because his face turned hard, no kindness to be found.

"No. You brought this upon yourself. Don't try to escape. Follow one of my passageways and it is likely that you may never come out." He turned and walked over to the organ and sat down. Darcey thought he was going to ignore her and say no more when he spoke, not bothering to turn and face her. "You may use the swan room. There is clothing and everything you might need." He then proceeded to begin playing without further ado.

Darcey sighed in defeat. He was right. She probably wouldn't be able to get out on her own. She yawned. It was almost midnight and she had had a long day. Plus she hadn't caught up her health from being on the streets. She was just lucky she had been able to find a way off of them fairly quickly. She made her way to the room that she supposed was to be her own. The room was beautiful, the swan bed acting as a center piece and perfecting the room. She closed the door before taking off her vest. She debated a minute before taking off her shirt too. She was still covered and she didn't want to wear out her clothes. She laid them out before slipping between the covers of the most comfortable bed she could ever imagine. She fell asleep almost immediately to the sound of the Opera Ghost playing the organ.

He still couldn't believe it. Darcey was a girl. What had he been thinking to force her to stay here? Hadn't he learned with Christine? She had left immediately after she had returned from coming down to his lair with him. She had married Raoul whatever his name was. He sighed and stopped playing the organ. Everything was quiet. He wondered if Darcey had fallen asleep. She had gone into the room fifteen minutes ago and had shut the door behind her. He walked over to the door, yawning as he did. He would just glance in and check to make sure she was alright. He opened the door to find her tossing and turning, moaning as a nightmare took place. He rushed to the bed but he felt helpless as he didn't know what to do. He wanted to help her. He didn't know why but he did.

"No! Go away! Let go of me!" she screamed as she cried. He did the only thing he could think of. He picked her up and cradled her in his arms as she continued to cry. He rocked her, whispering words of comfort. He looked around the room, realizing the candles were still lit. Her tears turned to hiccups and he looked down to find her eyes locked on his blue ones. Hers were more blue than they had been earlier but still had their green color. He wiped the sweat from her brow and brushed her short hair away from her face. He noticed the freckles that dotted her nose and cheeks that he had previously not seen. She started to sit up but he pushed her back to lay in his arms. She wore only the bandages that he now realized were not for an injury, and the black trousers he had given her. He should have told her to wear the nightgown in the closet even though he could tell it would swamp her slight form. The time she had spent on the streets had obviously not been kind to her. Her eyes started to drift but before she fell back to sleep, he heard her whisper, "Thank you." He held her sleeping form for a few more minutes before he laid her down and tucked the blankets up over her.


	5. Chapter 5: Song of the Caged Bird

**A/N: This chapter is inspired by the song by Lindsey Sterling. Check her out of Youtube. She is AMAZING. This just so happens to be one of my favorite songs and the video is awesome. Whenever I feel small, lonely, or trapped, this is a great song to listen to. Hope you enjoy the chapter and the song. **

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**Chapter Five:**

**Song of the Caged Bird**

She rolled over, snuggling deeper into the soft bed. She smiled; the feather mattress sunk in, wrapping her in a warm cocoon. She froze. Wait... Where was she? Then she remembered. She was in the Phantom of the Opera's lair. She was virtually his prisoner. She was a caged bird. Though she had to admit it was a pretty fancy cage. She had every creature comfort she could possibly need and more. Despite that fact, she still felt trapped. She snuggled into the bed, pulling the blanket up under her chin and over her ears. She opened her eyes as the music stopped. Music she hadn't even noticed drifting through the open door. She sat up when the Phantom's dark figure appeared in the doorway.

"I'm going out. You may do as you please but do not try to escape. Do not mess with my music. Follow these rules and I shall not punish you." He then turned around and exited. She soon heard soft splashing sounds coming from the lake. She sighed and laid back down against the pillows. What was she going to do? She flung the blankets off and sat up to stretch. She reached over and pulled on her shirt and vest. As comfortable as the bed was, she couldn't keep still so long. She debated over what to do but ultimately decided to play the organ.

She wandered aimlessly around until she was sure he would be out of earshot. She sat down and ran her fingers over the well-worn keys. She had always loved to play. She was grateful her parents had gotten her a piano to play as well as the few years of lessons. After that she had mostly taught herself.

She started playing a song without any words but one that came straight from her heart. It contained many of her emotions and thoughts. She felt trapped. Alone. She was a caged bird. While her wings were not clipped, she was not able to fly. She was sad and unloved. The song was slow and quiet but suddenly changed to fast and loud, energy flowing through it as if the bird had just discovered its voice. She lifted her fingers gradually off the last note and sat unmoving in front of the organ.

She began to hum the tune as her vision blurred. She had to get out of here. She just had to. She couldn't stand to remain here as his prisoner. She glanced around. He probably had several passageways out of here. But she would probably get lost and then where would she be? She'd be worse off than she already was. She could get lost and without food, she wouldn't be able to survive. She didn't have any body weight to lose. She had lost so much from her time on the streets. She shivered at the memory.

She continued to look around but stopped, her eyes resting on the lake. Maybe she could swim across. She could see torches lighting up the pathway the Phantom had left by. She judged the distance and figured she could probably make it across. It didn't seem that far.

That settled it. She was going to swim across. She went back to her room and grabbed her shoes. She was going to need them. She pulled them on and sat trying to think. It would probably be easier to swim without them but she would need them later. Same with her vest. She figured she might as well leave a note. He had been kind to her, after all and she was still alive. She quickly wrote the note and left it on the table beside the bed. She took one last look around the lair before walking over to the lake shore. She waded in and after taking a deep breath, dived in and began to swim.

She kicked her legs, glad she was dressed in trousers rather than burdensome skirts. She continued to stroke. It seemed to take forever. She stopped to rest and realized she was only about halfway there, she brushed her wet hair out of her eyes before continuing. Soon her muscles started to burn from the strain of moving through the water. 'Almost there,' she thought, trying to encourage herself. She could make it. She finally could go no further and she came to a stop. She was panting and she could no longer hold herself above the water. She gasped in a breath before she went under in exhaustion. She tried to gather her strength but found that her foot was stuck between some rocks. She was trapped! She struggled and twisted, trying to get free but only succeeded in scratching herself on the sharp rocks. She bent down and tried to pry her foot out. She was running out of oxygen and her lungs burned. She wouldn't be able to make it much longer without a new breath. She felt air bubbles leave her lips as she gasped in pain.

Her vision started to fade when she saw a dark shape come towards her. It was the Phantom. He was rescuing her! Her vision was dimming and she was going to pass out if she didn't get oxygen soon. She indicated her throat and to her surprise, he pressed his lips to hers. What was he doing? Then she felt the sweet breath he had just given her. He was giving her oxygen. He resurfaced and after a quick breath, returned and got to work freeing her foot. It had become swollen and he pulled out a knife and began to saw through the leather. She felt her head swim. She had been distracted and had ignored the burning in her lungs. She felt her foot come loose before she went unconscious.

Her foot was freed but she had gone completely limp. She must have lost consciousness. He hooked his arms under hers and kicked his legs to bring them to the surface. He then began to swim towards the shore. She had gotten only three-fourths of the way before she must have gotten tired and evidently gotten her foot stuck. He had returned to see her go under. When she did not resurface, he had jumped in and began swimming to her with quick, strong strokes.

When he had pressed his lips to hers for that brief but necessary kiss, he had felt a strange emotion in his heart that he didn't care to examine. He had instead focused on freeing her. He still had to get her out of the water. He looked over his shoulder to see the shore was close. Soon he was able to stand and lift her limp body up before wading to dry land.

He laid her down and checked for her pulse, relieved to find a sure, strong beat. He frowned when he found that she was no longer breathing. He began to give her compressions. "Come on. Don't die on me now." He continued to press, wincing as he heard a few ribs crack. She suddenly started coughing and he was quick to turn her on her side as water come out of her mouth. Her sat back relieved when she started to breathe on her own. Her breathing was raspy but she was still alive. He scooped her gently up and laid her in the gondola. He brushed her wet hair back behind her ears before paddling across the lake. The lake had never seemed bigger than that moment as he struggled to get her back. Her life was still in the balance.

Reaching the other side, he carefully picked her up and carried her to the swan room. He quickly got her undressed, leaving on her unmentionables and the bandages, and drying her off before dressing her in a night gown. He laid her gently back down, flinching when she groaned in pain. He tucked the blankets up over her form.

He shivered, forgetting that he too was wet. He was about to leave when he noticed a note on the table He picked up the paper and unfolded it.

_Dear Phantom,_

_I am afraid I cannot stay here any longer. I feel restless and trapped. Much as a caged bird might feel. I appreciate the kindness you have shown me but despite the comfort I could have experienced here, without my freedom, I cannot stand to stay. I will leave your opera as I believe you wanted me to do in the first place. I only ask that you give me the time to find a new job first. I beg of you not to reveal my secret. Thank you for comforting me last night. Thank you for all you have done._

_-Darcey D. _

He sat down on the edge of the bed. She felt trapped? How could she feel trapped when he gave her the freedom to do anything she liked? 'Except for leave,' was the nagging thought in the back of his mind. She had felt comfortable though. She had also appreciated him comforting her last night. He didn't know why those thoughts gave him hope but he choose to ignore it. He stood up and walked away, leaving the door open. He smiled looking the signature. D. Her last name started with D. He quickly changed into dry clothes before beginning to play softly on the organ.


	6. Chapter 6: Friends

**A/N: Will you allow me to start out by saying how much I appreciate my friends? No? Too bad I already did ^-^. Anyways... This is dedicated to all my wonderful friends. You know who you are. *Hugs* Anyways... this does relate to the story. I'm not being _totally_ random. ^-^ Well I hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter Six:**

**Friends**

Darcey woke to find the Phantom siting in the chair next to her bed. She started to get up but stopped at the sharp pain in her chest. She groaned causing him to look up at her. "You're awake," he said sounding extremely relieved. What had happened to her? She tried to remember what had happened and just so happened to move her foot. As pain shot up her leg, the memory returned. She had tried to swim across the lake to escape and gain her freedom. She had gotten tired and had consequently gotten her foot stuck. Then he had saved her.

"Thank you for saving me," she said softly. What was wrong with her chest? It felt as if there was a great weight on her, making it hard to breathe. "What happened? I remember my foot coming free but... after that it's foggy." She was surprised her throat could feel so dry after all the water she surely had swallowed. He helped her get a drink before answering.

"You went unconscious and I had to drag you to shore. I had to compressions on you to get you to breathe again. I'm afraid I might have broken a few ribs." He seemed nervous at her reaction to the information. She chuckled lightly and laid a hand on top of his.

"It's alright. They weren't healed completely as it was. You did nothing wrong." He looked confused and though he opened his mouth to speak, no words came out. "Don't worry. The bandages weren't only a part of my disguise," she said trying to sooth him. It wasn't his fault that she had been attacked...

"I can't say that is very comforting," he said, pulling his hand away and running his fingers through his hair. He looked extremely uncomfortable and she wondered why. She tried to sit up and he was quick to help her, fluffing pillows to place behind her.

She sighed, brushing her short hair behind her ears. She had cut it in order to look more like a boy and while it had worked, it tended to fall in her face. What was she going to do now? She couldn't work as in her current condition. In fact, Mme. Giry would probably not even let her come back after she didn't show up. She wondered what time it was. She had spent her time on the streets relying on the sun to tell the time. She shifted, uncomfortable with the silence. "What time is it?"

"It's about noon. You have been unconscious for about an hour." He paused before continuing as if he knew what she was going to ask next. "I sent a note to Mme. Giry. You have no need to worry about your position." He again ran a hand through his hair. This was when she noticed the piece of paper sticking out of his pocket. Her note.

No wondering he was upset. She had written the note in the spur of the moment and now it was replaying through her mind, the parts she wished she had never written stood out painfully. He probably felt horrible right now. The thought distressed her for some reason. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I haven't been here long and all I've been is trouble. Please forgive me." She turned her face away, not wanting him to see her tears.

His fingers gripped her chin gently and turned her face back to face his. "Don't be sorry. You aren't trouble. Everything is going to be alright. I am the one that needs to beg your forgiveness." He brushed her tears off her cheeks before dropping his hand. "I trust you can manage to dress without assistance?" he asked, the emotions and vulnerability she had previously seen, disappearing from his face. She nodded in response. "Good. I will leave you now that you are awake." He turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

She sighed. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She stood and upon taking a step, collapsed in pain. She tried to stifle her cry as pain shot up her leg through her body, but was not successful. The Phantom rushed into the room and, seeing her on the floor, scooped her up and gently set her on the bed. "My foot," she managed through gritted teeth. He lifted the hem of her night gown to her knees so he could examine it.

He grimaced at the swollen and bruised mess. Why hadn't he thought to check on her foot? He prodded it gently causing her to hiss in pain. He left the room but quickly returned with a basin of water and some medical supplies. He gently washed her foot and ankle, pulling out pieces of rock and dirt from her skin. When he had washed it thoroughly, he poured a liquid over it that stung and made her flinch. "Sorry," he mumbled before patting her foot gently dry. He put some ointment on and began to wrap it in a bandage. When he was finished, he looked up at her. "Is there anywhere else that hurts?" he asked softly.

"Only my ribs. If you could get some clothes and a bandage for me, I can take care of it," she said with a slight blush tinting her cheeks. He stood from his position kneeling on the floor. He walked over to the closet and got the things she required. He placed them in a pile on the bed next to her and walked out the door after a pause and a questioning look.

As soon as the door clicked, Darcey carefully pulled the night gown over her head and unwound the old, stiff bandage. She pulled on a chemise, deciding it would be better to do so first in case she was incapable later on, before wrapping her lower ribs tightly in a fresh bandage. She pulled on a corset and loosely tightened it. It had been awhile since she had worn a dress and she had forgotten all the layers a dress required. She pulled on the short skirt that ended at her knees. She was grateful that she would not be tripping over it. Now fully dressed, she sat on the bed not knowing what to do. She couldn't walk with her foot as it was. A hesitant knock sounded on the door. "Are you done?"

"Yes." He opened the door and entered with several stockings in his hand. "These should help you be able to move on your own." He bent down and put several layers of stockings on her foot. He helped her to her feet. She carefully put her weight on her foot and grimaced. He offered his arm and she gratefully grabbed hold. "Where would you like to go?"

"The organ," she replied immediately. He blinked in surprise but helped her as she made slow progress towards the organ. Finally there, he helped her to sit. She scooted over and patted the bench, indicating that he should sit. He stiffly sat and sat waiting. She began to play a song that sounded vaguely familiar to him.

"Sing for me?" She hesitated, her fingers hovering above the keys. She then began to play again. Soon she began to sing softly. Her voice was beautiful. He was awestruck. She had great raw talent. Her song was about friendship and light. Summertime and being together. Her voice held a unspoken amount of happiness in it but he could pick out a small amount of pain and longing. It was as if she was remembering past memories that now were no more and despite the joy, they also brought sadness. The song ended and she began a new one, this one was different. It had no rules and seemed to just flow out of her. She had stopped singing and now was completely focused on the keys. He could faintly hear her humming. It was a wonderful sound. She had great talent. He wondered why she hadn't tried to join the cast instead of continuing to pretend to be a boy and become a stagehand. The song eventually came to a end and while her hands didn't leave the keys and continued to move, she stopped playing. "What was that last one?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. It just... came to me." She stopped her silent playing and turned to face him. "I'd like to start over. I want us to become friends. Do you think that could work?" She bit her lip, waiting for his response.

He seemed shocked at first. Granted he had never had a friend except Mme. Giry. "I would like that." She smiled at him and he gave her a half smile. She turned back to the organ and began to play a new song. She would occasionally pause before seemingly figuring out how to continue. She reached a point where she didn't know where to go. "May I?" he asked. At her nod, he replayed last little part she had just played before continuing, changing the key signature. Darcey began to play along with him, their fingers brushing each others occasionally. They continued this way for awhile before they both stopped. They sat silently at the organ before he spoke. "Erik Destler. If we are to be friends, you might as well call me by my given name."

She seemed to roll the name around in her mouth before making up her mind. "I like it. It suits you well." He grinned at her. "What?"

"I told you my name, now you must tell me yours."

She blushed, looking down and fingering her skirt. He chuckled at her embarrassment. "Darchelle Dubois," she muttered. He lifted a brow. She sighed. "I hated, still hate, my name. I've gone by Darcey for as long as I can remember. I'm just glad they never gave me a middle name."

"Darcey fits you better," he commented. She brushed her hair back behind her ears.

"Thank you." She then began to play again, him joining her. They sat that way, playing music for most of the day.

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**A/N: FINALLY! I can call him Erik instead of "The Phantom" or one of his other names. *So happy* Btw, Erik won't always be this friendly but this is a weaker, more emotional moment. Just wanted to warn you before anyone freaks out. Please Read and Review!**


	7. Chapter 7: Traces

**A/N: "Good feeling's gone" as Marlin from Finding Nemo would say. *Sigh* Erik wrestles with himself a lot in this chapter. Poor Erik. And poor Darcey. Things that happen in this life leave traces, whether good or bad, that return to our minds. She has some not so good ones that are returning to haunt her. I hope while this is not a very happy chapter, you still enjoy it. Love you all!**

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**Chapter Seven:**

**Traces**

They played the organ together for several hours until Darcey was drifting to sleep. Erik then lifted her into his arms and carried her but she was asleep before he could take more than a couple steps. He laid her gently down, careful not to disturb her foot or ribs. She turned to lay on her side and her breathing continued to be slow and steady. He brushed the hair back from her face and watched her for a few seconds before turning away disgusted with himself. He walked quickly out of the room, closing the door behind him. He walked back to the organ and sat down on the bench. He started playing in his frustration.

What was he doing? Why was he so stupid? In the short time he had known Darcey she had somehow managed to start working her way into his heart. Why had he agreed to be her friend? He couldn't allow himself to be weak. That only caused him pain. He had tried to love Christine but he soon realized that it was not possible for him to be loved and to try would only cause him heartache. Why was he letting this girl get under his skin? No more. He wouldn't let her affect him. He could be her "friend" but that didn't mean anything. No attachment was needed.

He suddenly stopped playing as he realized he was playing the first song they had played together. She played very well he had to admit. He had been surprised by her musical talents. He wondered if she would be a good dancer. He shook his head, mentally growling at himself. No. Enough of that. She had great skill, that was true, but he refused to get involved. He had helped Christine and where had it gotten him? Nowhere with a broken heart thrown into the mix. He glanced at his pocket watch. Only six in the evening. He sighed. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. He would be awake for several hours more despite his exhaustion.

He couldn't play the organ anymore tonight. He sighed. She had left a mark on it that he was afraid would never leave. He picked up the violin that was sitting in its case on the floor and lifted it to his shoulder. He began to play, a slow smooth song that contradicted his current state of mind. Eventually he began to calm as he let the sound sooth and comfort him, distracting him from his problems and questions. He could be cool-headed and collected until Darcey was well and could leave. His heart and mind could withstand that amount of time. At least he hoped.

Erik yawned, standing to place the violin back in its case. It was midnight and he had played so long that his fingers cramped and he felt blisters appearing on his fingertips. He stretched and went to his own room, resisting the urge to check on Darcey and instead passed her room as fast as possible. He closed the door and proceeded to get ready for bed.

He climbed in bed, laying on his back. Erik tried to banish all thoughts but ones concerning a certain young lady remained. He sighed deeply, refusing to give in. Why couldn't he just forget her? She was nothing to him. Sure he would act as her friend but only so she was more comfortable while she recovered. Then they would part ways and he would forget about her. He ignored the voice in his head that was calling him a liar. He would forget her. She meant nothing to him and would remain that way.

He shifted onto his side and opened his eyes. Maybe if he just checked on her quickly to make sure she was alright. It didn't mean that he cared. He was just... concerned for her welfare. He didn't want her to be in pain. He could give her some laudanum if need be though he would prefer not to. He sighed heavily before throwing off the covers and getting up. He walked to her room and quietly opened the door. His eyes widened when he saw she was not in the bed. He looked around the room in growing panic when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. There she was sitting on the floor by the closet. She looked terrified and stared blankly at the opposite wall. She was shaking and shivering.

Erik strode over and crouched down in front of her. She continued to stare at something that wasn't there. He pushed aside the feeling of wanting to protect her and cleared his throat. "Darcey?" She didn't respond. "Darcey?" he repeated, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. She jerked away before crying out in pain as she clutched her ribs.

"Don't hurt me," she cried, tears slipping down her tears. She tried to scoot away but only ran into the closet door.

"Darcey. It's me Erik. I'm not going to hurt you. I only want to help. I'm going to make the pain go away," he said, not knowing if she heard him or not. She sat motionless as she cried and stared blankly at the wall. He stood up and quickly found the laudanum in the other room. He returned to find that she had not moved but he was relieved she had stopped crying. He approached her and again laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him with watery eyes. At least she was calmer now. He guessed she had had a nightmare like she had the other night. Whatever had happened to her seemed to haunt her and he wondered if she had nightmares every night. He remembered many sleepless nights after having a nightmare about his pain filled past. As he looked into her eyes, he saw untold depths of pain and sorrow that touched his soul. She was a kindred spirit in a sense and he felt regret that she had had to experience what obviously tortured her. He still had nightmares occasionally.

"I have some medicine for you. It will take away the pain," he promised her. She didn't say anything but obediently opened her mouth to swallow the amount he gave her. He then picked her up and placed her on the bed. She looked empty as if her insides had been removed and all that remained was an empty shell. She had no emotion but just seemed to exist but Erik knew she was only hiding deep within herself from the pain the memory caused. She detachedly responded to his prodding to lay back down. He could see the effects of the laudanum starting to work on her. Gradually her eyes drifted closed and he tucked the blankets up around her. He turned and walked away, refusing to let this touch him anymore than it already had. She was innocent but had been forced to face untold terrors in her past. He didn't know what they were but he knew the feeling of being helpless and frightened. He left and went back to bed, giving up on pushing away thoughts of Darcey. He wondered what she had gone through that was so terrible as to haunt her so badly as to cause her physical pain. It wasn't too much longer until he finally fell asleep feeling physically and emotionally drained.

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**A/N: Pobrecita. The poor girl. *Sigh* Anyways... This is my experiment and improvement story. Let me know what you think I could do to improve my writing. All opinions are welcome. I will take them into consideration and see what I can do. Read and Review. Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8: Looking Back

**A/N: I haven't received any reviews yet on what I can do better. Let me change my request. Send me a review telling me what I'm doing that you like and what I could do better on. Let me know your thoughts on the story so far. In this chapter you get a peek at Darcey's childhood. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Eight:**

**Looking Back**

Darcey awoke from a dreamless sleep. She faintly remembered waking in the middle of the night from a nightmare. The rest of the experience was foggy but she remembered seeing Erik before the world faded to black. It appeared that he had helped her after yet another nightmare. There were times she wouldn't get any rest because of the terrifyingly realistic nature of her nightmares.

She sat up slowly, stretching carefully as to not disturb her healing ribs. Her foot and ankle didn't hurt as much and she thought they were less swollen. She stood up. Gripping the edge of the bed for support. She grimaced in pain but bit her lip and forced herself to walk to the closet, using the wall as a brace, in order to get new clothes. Darcey pulled out a light blue bodice and a tan, knee-length skirt. She hobbled over to the bed before changing. She dumped the old clothes in a basket before leaving the room. She limped her way to the lake shore before sitting down, exhausted and in pain. She sighed, resting her head in her hands and her elbows on her knees. Why was the simple act of dressing and walking so tiring? Granted her nightmare had not let her gain much rest but whatever Erik had done had helped her sleep soundly for several hours. Erik. The name fit him very well for a reason Darcey couldn't understand. She smiled to know he had told her though she had told him her name as well. She hated her given name. Why her parents had named her that she would never know.

Darcey looked out at the smooth water, so lost in thought that she didn't notice Erik watching her. It was only five in the morning and he hadn't expected her to be up yet. He had watched her slow, obviously painful, progress to the lake shore in silence, ignoring the feelings of wishing to help. He moved silently into the room until he could watch her face. Besides the pain, he began to see sadness enter her face and eyes. Her green and blue eyes were lost in time and space and though she was looking out at the lake, he doubted she truly saw it. He hesitated before approaching her careful not to startle her. He made small noises until he knew she had heard him and would not be alarmed by his sudden presence. Somehow he knew that would be unwise. He sat next to her, mentally telling himself yet again that she meant nothing to him and that he was merely curious about her. He picked up a smooth stone and tossed it across the lake's surface, counting the number of skips until it sunk. "What are you thinking about?"

She sighed, watching the ripples he had created. "My parents. My past." He glimpsed a look of sadness expand in her eyes before she turned slightly away.

"Will you tell me about them?" he asked though he doubted she would speak. He expected her to brush him off. She glanced back at him before taking a deep breath.

She looked back out at the water, the faraway look returning as she began. "I was the only child. They had hoped for a boy, especially my father. When I was born, I was christened Lady Darchelle Dubois and sent off to the the nursery to grow up in the care of nursemaids and governesses. My parents continued to try to have another child but when I reached the age of thirteen, they realized it would never happen. My parents spent more time with me then. With my mother, I was treated as a princess. With my father, I was treated as the son he never had. He took to calling me Darcey in private as it sounded more boyish. They took me places and showed me off. Everywhere a child could dream of."

"Sounds perfect," he stated feeling a little jealous of the love she had received. She had said "Lady Darchelle Dubois." She was a Lady? He felt small and insignificant next to her. He turned to find that the faint smile he had previously seen had disappeared completely.

"Not exactly. They didn't really love me. Sure they cared but I wasn't what they had wanted. I wasn't interested in the things they tried to get me to do. I wasn't their perfect son they had hoped for and I wasn't even a perfect daughter to fill the gap. I was interested in horses and music. I loved the piano and wanted to learn how to play the violin but I could never convince them to get me a teacher for the violin and they stopped paying my teacher for piano when I was twelve. I had to teach myself after that. My father bought me a horse that I loved but I didn't like to go on hunts with him and he didn't like to let the horse run like I did. My mother wanted me to be her perfect little girl so that all her friends would be envious and want their daughters to be perfect like me. I couldn't stand the small talk that always took place but when I would try to have a more intelligent conversation that wasn't based on fashion or quilts, I wasn't allowed to and disappointed my mother. Despite my mother's encouragement, I preferred to read rather than embroider. I was a disappointment at my birth and always was."

Erik was silent as he thought this over. She hadn't felt their love. She had only been a replacement and when she hadn't fulfilled their expectations, she had suffered the lost of the amount of love she had been given. "What about your musical talents? Aren't they proud of you for them?"

"No. They never were. They thought it was a waste of my time. Instead of spending hours making up songs, they wanted me to embroider or go hunting or do something 'productive.' I disappointed them." She looked very disheartened and sad.

"I don't understand. You could be a great success at the opera. Haven't they thought of that?"

"No. They thought it was dishonorable for a lady of our social standing. They said I was not talented enough and should stop trying. They banned me from singing in the house because they couldn't stand it. They almost banned the piano too."

Erik stared at her in disbelief. Not talented? What had her parents been thinking? Had they not heard her play or sing? She was amazing. "What do you mean not talented? You are one of the most talented people I have had the privileged of hearing." She blushed at the compliment. "You could be the lead singer! You are much better than La Carlotta," he grimaced at the name. "If you were the lead then your parents would have to recognize your talent." She turned pale. "What is wrong?"

"They're dead."

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**A/N: I admire Darcey in that she just sucks up the pain and gets over it. That's my goal for the week. I'm going to do my best to bite my lip and push through it. No use worrying other people. Random tangent I know. I'm trying to make myself better. Speaking of which, please let me know what I can do to become a better writer. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! I need feedback! Thanks for reading this and putting up with me ^-^. Love you all! *Virtual hugs for all* **


	9. Chapter 9: A Peek at the Soul

**A/N: Well... I still haven't gotten any new reviews. Hmm... Is anyone even reading anymore? Well if someone is, enjoy a bit of randomness at the end of the chapter. Enjoy and please Review!**

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**Chapter Nine:**

**A Peek at the Soul**

Erik had to stop his jaw from falling open. He had not been expecting her to say that. Her parents had died. How horrible. What is one supposed to say to that? Erik wasn't the most socially proper and he had no clue how to respond so he did the only thing he could think of. Kept silent and hoped she would keep talking. He was relieved when she did after a few seconds.

"They died about a year ago when I was nineteen. It was early November and they were going to a party. We had gotten into an argument. It ended with me being banished to my room. I'll never forget their last words. 'We are very disappointed with you.' I was so angry. I went in my room and sang at the top of my lungs for an hour. When they didn't return on time, our butler went out to find them. He came back alone to tell me that my parents had been in a carriage accident. The driver was not used to the snow and my father had insisted on taking the new horses he had recently bought. They had slid of the road and the carriage had rolled, killing both my parents in the process. The funeral was horrible. Our argument kept replaying in my mind especially their last words. I hated black. It was everywhere. I was miserable and alone. Then their will was read. I was left with nothing. I wasn't even mentioned. I was forced to leave my home for a distant cousin to take the title. I had nothing but the gifts they had given me over the years and was forced to sell everything, including my piano, but a couple dresses. It was the hardest thing I ever did but I knew I wouldn't survive the winter without a place to stay."

"Didn't you have family to take you in? What about the distant cousin? Surely there was someone who could have helped." To lose both parents and have nowhere to go must have been terrible.

"No. He refused to help me and no one else ever responded to my letters. I was completely on my own. I sold most of my possessions keeping nothing but two dresses and a plain locket from my grandmother before she died when I was eight. She loved me even when my parents didn't and encouraged me to continue with my music. It's been almost twelve years and I still have that locket," she said pulling a plain, dull silver locket and chain out of her pocket and showed him before putting it on. "I bought a room and stayed there, doing random jobs when I could to earn money, but my money ran out when spring came. I was forced to leave and had nowhere to go, I was forced to be in the streets." She shuttered at the memory. "I hated the streets. It was horrible. I wandered around, still doing random jobs when I could to earn enough money to eat a meal. At times I had to go hungry with no jobs or money to buy food. The first four months weren't too bad. It was uncomfortable but I was surviving. After that... Well, it wasn't good."

Erik felt like there was something else she wasn't telling him. What had happened to her after that? Why had she decided to dress as a boy? He was about to ask when she abruptly stood and turned to limp over to the organ. She began to play frantically, reminding him of his self. He thought about all he had learned. She was almost twenty years old. She had lived almost a year of her life on her own. Most of that time was spent on the streets. Something had happened to make her decide to dress as a boy. Maybe one day she would tell him. He had to admit she was strong. He didn't know if he could have survived had he been put in her shoes. He turned and watched her as she played. She really was skilled. He wondered if she would be good at the violin too. Maybe he would teach her to play. 'No, Erik. No teaching her anything. Don't you remember what happened to your last student?' he thought. He pushed his thoughts away and looked Darcey over. She was very pretty in the dress she was wearing. Her hair was much shorter than the current style but it suited her well. She looked the perfect lady. He shook his head and looked down at her foot. He supposed he should help her with it. His stomach growled lightly and he supposed he had better get them something to eat as well. He got up and went off to get them some breakfast.

'Why did I tell him so much?' she thought, pounding away on the keys. What had propelled her to say so much. She could have not said anything. Instead she had almost said too much. She had almost told him what she vowed to forget. The cause of her nightmares. She sighed and stopped pushing the keys so hard. She slowed down, closing her eyes as she willed herself to forget.

Soon a heavenly scent reached her nose and she stopped playing and opened her eyes, turning to find Erik laying out a meal for them. Her stomach growled. She had forgotten she hadn't eaten. She had gotten so used to getting up early when the sun rose and skipping breakfast that it had become a habit. She stood up and walked over to the table, sitting when he pulled out a chair for her. She murmured, "Thank you," before looking at what he had prepared. There was so much fruit. Strawberries and raspberries and even oranges. She dug into the simple meal of bread, cheese, and fruit and was soon full though she had not eaten much. She had not regained her appetite fully yet. She sat with her hands in her lap as she watched the man before her. He was wearing a dark blue vest over a black shirt, the sleeves of which were rolled up to his elbows. He looked very casual today but handsome nonetheless. She blushed when he caught her staring and looked down at her plate.

Erik smirked when he saw how embarrassed she was. He had noticed her staring and as soon as he had looked at her, her cheeks had turned as bright red as the strawberry she was playing with on her plate. She looked so... cute when she was embarrassed. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and glanced back up at him though her cheeks still were rosy. "Would you care to learn the violin?" he asked suddenly. Where had that come from? He had decided not to teach her anything and the first words out of his mouth were whether she wanted to learn. That would imply that he would teach her. What was it about her that made him not follow what his brain told him.

Darcey's eyes lit up. "Do you mean it?" she asked excitement evident in her voice and face. At his slight nod, she stood up and came around the table before throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed, kissing his cheek before spinning around in joy. Erik froze. She had hugged him and pressed her lips to his cheek in a brief kiss. While she was dancing around the room in joy despite her hurt foot, he hurried to regain his composure before grabbing her arms and forcing her to sit back down.

"You are going to hurt yourself. Let me take care of your foot and then we can begin your lesson." She sat as still as possible but she couldn't help but feel excited. He unwrapped her foot and ankle, pleased that the swelling was almost gone. He put new ointment on her and wrapped a clean bandage around it. This done, she practically jumped up out of the chair and hurried over to the organ and where he kept his violin. He made her sit down on the bench as he pulled out the violin and the bow. He handed it to her and began to teach her. He taught her the strings and how to hold the violin correctly. He then taught her the notes that went with those strings before teaching her how to hold the bow. He placed his bare hand over hers as he showed her the proper position and motion. Four hours later and many corrections, she was able to play a few songs and her arms were exhausted. "I think that is enough for one day. You did very well," he said. "I have some errands to take care of. I will be back at six this evening. Don't go anywhere." His face was serious and she quickly nodded. "Good." He turned and left through one of his passageways.

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**A/N: This is a little something I call Writer's Block vs. Pirates! Enjoy the randomness!**

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**Ahoy! There be**** writers block on the starboard side, Cap'n**

(Sigh)_We have __battl__ed this foul creature before, lad. Prepare the __canno__ns and get ready to fire at my signal._

**Aye Aye, Capt'n. **(Runs to do as he is told)

_FIRE__! _(Cannon fire)

(Cannon fire ceases) **Is it gone, Cap'n?**

(Looks) _No. Blast it to __smithereens__!_

**Aye Aye! (**Begins to fire again)


	10. Chapter 10: Who is This Man?

**A/N: Thar be Pirates! Hehehe I love pirates. Almost as much as the Phantom. Well... I was going to say something else but that foul creature, Writer's Block, must have eaten it. I hate when it does that. Well... ENJOY!**

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**Chapter Ten:**

**Who is This Man?**

With eight hours to herself, Darcey decided to explore the lair more in depth. Who was this strange man who lived underneath the opera house? Why did he act the way he did? She wandered around looking closer at her surroundings. The first time she had looked around, she hadn't been able to take very much time to really see what was around her. Now she had all the time in the world. Her eye was drawn to the miniature stage. She wandered over and sat down on a chair placed before the desk it was sitting on. Erik had carved little dolls of all the cast. There was Mme. Giry's daughter, and La Carlotta. She was surprised to find the stagehands there as well, namely her. When had he carved it? She had been there not very long and then she has been down here with him. She picked up the small doll and looked closely at it. The details were amazing. He was very talented. She set the doll down and looked at the desk before her. She found paper, pen, and ink as well as wax and his seal. This must also be his writing desk. She saw many loose pieces of paper on the ground and bent to pick one up. It was half burnt but she could still see the beautiful drawing. It was of a beautiful girl with long curly hair and a brilliant smile. It had obviously been drawn with love. She squinted, trying to make out the name written on the burnt edge. _Christine. _This must be Christine Daae, the chorus girl who the Phantom was said to prefer and had recently been married to the Vicomte de Chagny, the patron of the Opera Populaire.

She'd had no idea he had loved her. But if he loved her, then why was the page burned? She looked at the floor to find more pictures, all of them burnt as much as the first if not more. She truly was beautiful. Darcey reached up to touch her own short hair. She was jealous of the girls long curly hair. She had had long hair before she had cut it. It had gone to her mid-back and while it had not been as curly, it had had a subtle waves to it. Now her black hair was to about the top of her jaw line. She remembered grabbing the knife and holding onto her hair before closing her eyes and slicing through it. She had cried at the lost of her hair. She was grateful her hair grew fast and hoped that one day soon she would be able to grow it out. She didn't plan on having it quite as long as it once had been but she would still love to have her hair back.

She let the papers drift back to the floor and stood to move on. She came to what looked like a closet with a semi-transparent curtain across the front. She pulled it back and gasped to see a broken, life-sized doll that looked like Christine. He had been obsessed! The doll, like the papers had been burned. She was in a pile on the floor as if she had collapsed. She still looked beautiful but looked sad in the white dress that she realized was a wedding dress. He truly had loved her. Darcey couldn't stand the sad sight any longer and turned away.

She let the curtain fall, covering the broken doll. Darcey continued to look around discovering a small kitchen which she grabbed an apple out of before continuing on. She ate the apple as she continued to look around. He had collected many things, among those that stood out, was a music box. It had a monkey on top with small brass cymbals in its hands. After being wound up, it played the song Masquerade. She had listened to the box several times, enchanted by the monkey. She had reluctantly left it to move on. She past her own room to come to another room. She opened the door but stopped in the doorway. This had to be his room. She glanced around at the plain room. It had a comfortable looking bed with gray covers on it. There was a closet in the corner that was open to show the plain, dark toned clothes inside. She felt like an intruder and closed the door behind her. She continued down the hall and came to a dead stop in the doorway of the next room. Inside was a tub with a faucet and Darcey couldn't help herself. She just had to take a bath.

She went to her room to grab some new clothes and went back to the bathroom. She figured she still had about two hours until Erik returned. She turned on the water and undressed. She laid all her clothes out, placing her dirty ones in a pile and hanging up the clean ones from a hook on the wall placed there for that purpose. She turned off the water and slipped into the water. Darcey sighed happily. She was sure heaven was like this. All warm and comfortable. She grabbed the soap and began to lather up and wash. A few minutes later she was all clean and she just sat in the water as it began to cool.

***Line**

Erik sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He had been gone for several hours, most of that time spent wandering through the passageways throughout the opera. He had spent that time thinking. He hadn't been able to straighten out his thoughts but had successfully been able to push the thoughts away for the mean time and calm down. It was five o'clock and he decided he might as well go back. He hadn't really done anything the whole time he was gone and knew he wasn't going to do anything in the next hour. He walked back to his lair, entering to find Darcey no where in sight. He walked to her room but didn't see her, he hurried to check everywhere to try and find her. So help him if she had tried to escape again. She would never make it. He came to a stop in front of the bathroom door. She was in the bath with her back to him. He was about to turn away when he saw the scars on her skin. She had criss cross lines on her fragile skin. The streets had not been kind to her. He must have made some sort of sound as she turned abruptly, sinking down in the water. Her cheeks were bright red in embarrassment.

"I thought you wouldn't be back for another hour," she squeaked. He had to stop himself from grinning at her embarrassment.

"I was going to but I returned early. I apologize." He shuts the door gently before walking away to make supper as he waits for her to be done.

Darcey waited a second, her cheeks still burning before jumping out as fas as she could and toweling off. She dressed in the short, light green skirt and a light gray corset. She didn't bother to wrap up her torso but did take the time to wrap her foot and ankle before putting on some thin stockings that went up to her knees. She pulled the drain before walking out of the room. She ran a comb through her short hair and headed towards the kitchen when she smelled something cooking. She entered to find him cooking some eggs on the stove.

"Did you enjoy your bath?" he asked without turning around.

"Yes I did." She sat down and continued to comb through her hair as he turned to place the eggs on two plates and pushed one in front of her.

They began to eat in silence until he cleared his throat. "I saw the scars on your back. Are they from the street?" She nodded slightly in response, continuing to eat. "Will you tell me about it?"

She sighed before setting her fork down. "I don't know if I can," she whispered. Pain had entered her eyes.

"Can you tell me anything? I won't push you."

She picked up her fork and began pushing the rest of her eggs around. "It's the cause of my nightmares. It haunts me."

"Is it why you dressed as a boy?" he asked gently. She nodded, not meeting his eye. "You don't have to tell me now but I hope that someday you will." She remained silent, lost in thought as he went back to eating. She was still lost in her mind as he cleaned up after the simple meal and he left her be. She soon went to bed, leaving him yet again, to wonder what had happened to her.


	11. Chapter 11: Triggering Dreams

**A/N: I've gotten... No reviews. I'm not sure what that means... Please review for me! Thanks! **

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**Chapter Eleven:**

**Triggering Dreams**

Darcey woke feeling much better. She hadn't had any nightmares the previous night, though she hadn't been able to fall asleep until the early hours of the morning. She had been reflecting on her past. It seemed she had been doing that a lot lately. She had told the Phantom almost her whole life story and she had known him for but three days. A lot had happened in those three days. She stayed in bed, determined to fall back to sleep. She heard a soft knock on the door but chose to remain quiet. Soon the door opened and she heard Erik quietly enter. He approached the bed and she guessed he was leaving her a note. He tucked her hair behind her ear, pausing a second before leaving just as quietly. She smiled at his gesture. She kept her eyes closed and fell back to sleep.

_I ran down the alley, glancing over my shoulder. I saw the man pursuing me and turned to run faster. My legs burned from the exercise. I was tiring quickly, so few meals did that to a person. I jumped over some trash. I turned the corner and tripped. I glanced at what I had tripped over. I scrambled away from the dead body before making it to my feet again and started running as fast as my legs could take me. I had to get out of here! I turned yet again only to find myself at a dead end. I turned around but it was too late. I was trapped._

_He approached me, he was panting heavily. He strode over to me and grabbed hold of my arms. "Where do you think you are going?" His breathe smelled faintly of alcohol. _

"_No! Go away! Let go of me!" I pleaded. "I'll do anything you say just don't hurt me. Don't hurt me." I started to cry, big tears rolling down my dirty cheeks. _

_He grinned at me and I nearly gagged because of the feeling I received. I struggled to get out of his grip. "Feisty aren't we?" _

_I stomped on his foot and clawed at his chest. "Let me go!" He shoved me to hit the brick wall behind me. I gasped to breathe as I sank down against the wall, the breath knocked out of me. He squatted down next to me. _

"_Don't mess with me, girl. Be nice and I'll let you go." He dug the nails of his left hand into my shoulder before he punched me a few times. I heard cracking from my ribs before he let me go.  
_

"_Please, Don't hurt me!" I screamed as loud as I could. I closed my eyes as tight as possible, afraid of what would happen next..._

"Darcey! Wake up, Darcey!" Erik yelled, shaking her. She jerked awake to find herself pulled into his arms. She was sobbing uncontrollably. "It was just a dream. It was just a dream. You're safe now. I've got you." He rocked her back and forth. He had started down one of his passageways when he had heard her screaming. He had turned around and started running, cringing at each cry. He had returned to find her tossing and turning, sobbing in her sleep. "Shh. Don't cry. I've got you." If this happened too many more times, he wouldn't feel awkward. Already it was beginning to feel more comfortable to cradle her in his arms and soothe her. He continued to say comforting words to her as he rubbed her back. She began to calm, her sobs dissolving into silence. He didn't know how to help her. Did she always have these nightmares? He brushed her hair back behind her ears. "Do you always have nightmares?"

She shook her head. "Not always..." He sighed. That was probably just barely the truth. What was he going to do to help her? It couldn't be healthy to get the amount of rest she kept receiving. He had been hopeful when she hadn't cried out last night. He was sure she would be fine, but he had been proven wrong. She had looked so peaceful before he had left and now she looked completely drained of energy.

"Could you sleep without having a nightmare?" he asked, doubtful but knew she needed rest if she was going to recover completely.

She seemed to think about it. "I think I could if there was music. Music helps chase them away. There were many nights I fell asleep humming to myself."

He nodded and laid her down, covering her with the blankets. She closed her eyes but opened them again when he began to sing softly to her. Her eyes drifted back closed and her breathing soon leveled out. He continued singing awhile, realizing he was singing the song she had first sang to him. He got up and left, continuing to sing, to return with the monkey music box. He wound it up and set it down. It should keep going for a while. He hoped it would help. He left her; he had to talk to Mme. Giry.

He followed a passageway that lead to her room. Many of the rooms had secret entrances to them though he didn't care to use most of them. She was the only one that he ever visited in person. He knocked on the secret door and came in. She was sitting working on some embroidery. "What brings you here, Erik?" She was the only other one who knew his name.

"Darcey Bois." She looked up at him at that.

"What?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Firstly, Darcey is an almost twenty year old woman." She nodded, not looking surprised at all. "You knew?" She nodded and he rolled his eyes. Of course she had figured it out. He moved farther into the room to sit down across from her. "Secondly, I need help." She looked very happy about him admitting to that fact. He glared at her.

Her expression returned to a neutral one. "Please continue. What do you need help with?"

"Darcey, as I've told you, got injured not two days ago. She needs to rest. However she has nightmares about something that happened on the street. Something that caused her to pretend to be a young boy. How do I help her?"

She put her embroidery down and gave me her full attention as she sighed. "I don't know. She needs to stay relaxed. Something might be triggering them. Maybe she is feeling the same feelings as before."

Erik sighed in frustration. What could be triggering them? He thanked Mme. Giry and left to quickly do what he had planned on doing before Darcey had screamed. He returned quickly and entered her room. She was still sleeping soundly and the music box was just ending. He rewound it and sat in the chair next to her. She looked very peaceful and he hated to wake her. He leaned back in his chair to wait for her to wake.

After sleeping for three hours, Darcey woke up to find Erik watching her. She sat up and stretched her back hearing a satisfying pop. She smiled at him and was pleased to see his lips twitch. "Hello," she said.

"Hello. I have a question for you. It might be difficult to answer or you might not have an answer."

At her nod, he continued. "Do you think there is something triggering your nightmares?"

She sat, silent, as she thought about his question. She thought back over the times she had had them. What was the common factors before them all. "I am alone and it's usually quiet... It couldn't be that simple, could it?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Might be. We will see if you can overcome this. I will stay with you until you sleep for the next few days. You may use the music box as well." He stood. "You need rest to regain your health so you are able to leave. I suggest you stay in bed today. You may find a way to entertain yourself you may sleep. Your ankle should be healed in a few more days. You will return to the surface at that time." He turned and left the room. He picked up his violin and left to play in his room. He shut the door and began to saw at the strings. Darcey sighed, wound up the music box, laid back down, and tried to sleep. She had a feeling the next few days were going to be very slow in passing as it seemed he was determined to get rid of her and would force her to rest as much as possible.


	12. Chapter 12: Conflicted

**Chapter Twelve:**

**Conflicted**

The next four days passed slowly, much of the time Darcey spent either sleeping or eating. Her cuts and bruises faded, the cuts on her arms faded until they matched the ones on her back. She had many scars which she only hoped would fade with time as well as the memories that had created them. She sighed as she turned onto her side to look at the music box. It had become her almost constant companion, that monkey. Erik would sit by her bed and read or whittle until she fell asleep. He was always gone when she awoke but the monkey would still be going. Some of the days she found a note as well as a tray of food, other days she would soon find him entering with the tray and he would eat with her. Other than for meals, before he would leave to run errands, or before she fell asleep in the evenings, she hardly saw him. He would leave her alone to read, sketch, sleep, etc. She sometimes would hear him playing either the violin or the organ.

She sighed. Today was the day she was going back above. While she was getting bored and did not want to stay in bed any longer, she didn't want to leave. The lair had become comfortable to her. It felt like more than just a place she had lived in for the past week. It felt like... Home. She had hoped to have more violin lessons but he had never offered and she didn't dare ask. She wondered if she would ever see him after today. She ignored the part of her that hoped she would.

'She is going back today,' Erik thought as he made breakfast. He had grown too comfortable in her company. He could feel her worming her way deeper into his heart despite his efforts to stop her. Sure she was probably not trying but she was succeeding nonetheless. He sighed. He had a plan. He picked up the tray and made his way to her room. He walked in to find her lost in thought but she soon looked up and smiled. She looked so pretty when she smiled. He shook the thought away and handed her the tray. She had gained some weight and no longer looked so thin. She still was thin but not as drastically as she had before. He sat down as she began eating, neither of them speaking. She finished and he took the tray to set it on the table by the bed. They continued to sit silently until he cleared his throat. "Going back today."

She nodded. "Yes. Going back." They were silent again before Darcey couldn't stand it anymore. "Will I ever see you again?"

He hesitated before answering. "Yes. I think you will. If you would like to that is." At her nod he smiled a bit. He ran a hand through his hair, thinking about the best way to continue. "Um... I think you should stop pretending to be a boy. I understand that you might feel uncomfortable or unsafe or something but I think you should be yourself."

She tensed and she began to finger the blanket. "I don't know... what would I do then? Could I still be a stagehand? What if Mme. Giry won't let me stay?"

"Shush. She already knows. You are a wonderful singer, I haven't seen you dance but I would assume your skill matches your other musical skills. You could be a part of the cast, the lead, or a musician or if you really wished, you could continue being a stagehand though I wouldn't like it. Whatever pleases you." He looked completely serious and Darcey couldn't help but blush at his complements. He thought highly of her it seemed and she wasn't sure she deserved it.

"I'm a tolerable dancer. I only know the piano and organ well enough to play and I don't believe they have one in the orchestra. I don't think I'm skilled enough to be the lead and I don't know if I feel comfortable being in the presence of the other stagehands was I not dressed as a boy."

He sighed, shaking his head. "You are too hard on yourself. I will teach you the violin. You are a fast learner based from your first lesson. You should be able to play well enough by the next opera. I could also teach you to dance and sing if you like." He mentally berated himself for offering and even more so for wishing her to accept. Remaining in her company on a regular basis could bring nothing good.

"I would love that." She looked extremely happy, a slight blush still present on her cheeks.

"You can remain above during the day and come down here during the evenings. I will teach you then and you may sleep either here or above. I will escort you to and from here. Does this arrangement please you?"

She nodded. "Very much so. Thank you." She smiled brightly at him and he couldn't help but smile a little in return.

"Very well. Get dressed and I will lead you to the surface." He stood and left the room with the tray, shutting the door behind him.

Darcey jumped out of bed, excited. She would be returning to the surface where she would be free to do as she pleased and be able to go outside. She would also be returning here and would be learning from Erik. She was so excited. She hesitated to dress as a girl still but did so anyways, putting on a silver skirt and a light purple bodice. She pulled on some thin shoes. They felt strange as she hadn't been wearing shoes during her time down her and before she had worn old shoes that while more sturdy, were not very comfortable. She opened the door and Erik approached with a bag. "Put most of the dresses in here. They are all yours but you might want to keep some here." She nodded and placed the dresses, her few sketches, and the books he had given her in it.

Once she was ready, she left and Erik took the bag and offered his free arm to her. She took it gratefully as he began to take her down one of his passageways. There were torches every so often, casting yellow pools of light. She wasn't sure she could remember the way on her own and was amazed that he could navigate them so easily. After many turns, they went up some steps until they reached what looked like a large window that went all the way to the floor. He set down the bag and to her amazement, he slid it open. She realized they were looking into her room. She walked through and turned around to find that they had come out of her mirror. He set the bag down on her bed before walking to the door. "Until tonight, Darcey." He bowed before leaving through the mirror, replacing the glass so she was left with her own reflection.


	13. Chapter 13: Meeting the Girls

**A/N: I have nothing to say... Just read, review, and enjoy.**

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**Chapter Thirteen:**

**Meeting the Girls**

A few hours passed since Erik had left her in her room, and she had still not left. She had unpacked and and had just sat on her bed, trying to work up the courage to go talk to Mme. Giry. She knew the woman already knew her secret but everyone else didn't. She looked in the mirror, fingering her short hair. Her hair had always grown fast but it was still only a little bit past her jaw. She looked more like a woman now that she was wearing a dress and did not have a flat chest. She inhaled and walked to the door. She could do this. She opened the door and began walking down the hall towards Mme. Giry's room. She tried to ignore the people staring at her but couldn't help but notice and the whispers as she passed them. She let go of the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding when she reached the room and knocked. She heard a response and opened the door. She entered and shut the door gratefully behind her.

Mme. Giry looked her up and down. "You are very beautiful, you know Darcey," she said after her perusal. Darcey blushed and was grateful when she changed the subject. "The Phantom has given me some notes and has talked to me about your situation. What do you plan on doing?"

"Erik's been talking to you about me?"

She raised a brow at that. "He told you his name? Huh. Yes he has. He asked me for advice for your nightmares. He has also been keeping me informed about your health. I trust you are healthy?" Darcey nodded. "Good. You haven't answered my question. What are you going to do?"

"I think I better stay a stagehand. I want to join the orchestra but I can't until I know the violin better. Erik is going to teach me how to play and when I am ready, I could play in the orchestra if I can."

She nodded. "I will work it out with the managers. As long as you are good, everything will work out. Do you have your own violin?" Darcey shook her head. "I will find you one of your own."

Darcey hugged her in gratitude. "Thank you. It means a lot to me." She was going to get her own violin! She couldn't wait. She didn't care what it looked like as long as she had her own. She had begged her parents to get her one but had eventually given up asking. She was so excited. She was finally getting a violin and learning how to play.

"You're welcome. Why don't you go talk to the other girls. I'm sure they will have plenty of questions for you and I know my daughter, Meg, would love to have you as a friend. Her friend Christine Daae recently left and got married. Meanwhile I'll see what I can do about finding you a violin," she said, hugging her back. Darcey nodded and left to find the other girls.

Darcey wandered around, wondering where they would be. She found random people in the halls, most of which stared at her or whispered to each other. Finally she found a younger girl she thought she recognized as being one of the ballerinas. She approached the girl and tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me. Do you know where the ballerinas are?"

The girl looked at her funny but pointed to a door a few doors down the hall. "They're in the dressing room."

"Thank you," she said before continuing until she reached the door. She didn't know whether to knock or just enter but decided to knock. She heard the sounds of giggling and talking but at her knock, they fell silent. Soon the door was opened by a pretty blond girl. She blinked at Darcey before speaking.

"Can I help you?" she asked. Darcey realized it was Meg. She hadn't seen her this close before, so she hadn't recognized her at first.

"Mme. Giry wanted me to come meet all the girls. I'm Darcey Bois. Er... Actually I'm Darcey Dubois." She almost giggled at the expression on her face and the girls who had overheard.

"Darcey Bois? The stagehand?" Darcey nodded, grinning at their shocked faces. Meg grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room, shutting the door quickly. "Sit. Sit." After she was seated, they began asking questions. All at once.

"You're a girl?"

"Why did you pretend to be a boy?"

Darcey couldn't keep up with all the questions and was beginning to feel overwhelmed. Meg clapped her hands, effectively silencing the girls. "One at a time! We are going to scare her off." She turned to Darcey. "Why were you pretending to be a boy?"

She thought about what to say. She didn't want to tell her whole sob story to them. "I had been living on the streets before I came here and thought it would be best." The girls all nodded in understanding. Life was rough for a girl around their ages.

"Does anyone else have any other questions? One at a time now."

"Is it true that you were kidnapped by the Phantom?" a little, brown haired girl asked.

"Not exactly..." All the girls leaned in closer, sensing a story coming. "I happened to find one of his secret passageways. I decided to wander off on my own and was found by the Phantom. He held me captive but he was very kind. I mistakenly tried to escape and almost died." There was a collective gasp. "He rescued me and took care of me until I recovered and brought me back."

"Does he really have a mask?" an older girl with red hair asked. Darcey nodded. "Is his face really as bad as they say?"

Darcey shook her head. "No. I haven't seen him without his mask, but he really is quite handsome." Meg nudged her making her blush.

"Enough questions about the Phantom," Meg said. "I have a question. Are you still going to be a stagehand or what?"

"For now. I'm learning how to play the violin. Then I plan to join the orchestra." The girls started whispering in hushed tones, worried expressions on their faces. "What?"

"The stagehands are known to get drunk and rowdy. Especially Joseph Buquet. You better be careful Darcey," the red head said.

"She'll be fine. If she has survived this long, she'll be fine," Meg said putting an arm around her.

The girls continued to talk the rest of the day but Darcey didn't participate. She was too busy worrying whether she had made a mistake or not.


	14. Chapter 14: The Sanctuary

**A/N: Sometimes we need a sanctuary or a safe haven to go to, to be protected from a harsh and scary world. I have mine and I'm sure you have yours. I'd love to hear about yours. I'd also like to hear what you guys thought about the story so far. I look forward to hearing from you.**

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**Chapter Fourteen:**

**The Sanctuary**

"Did you enjoy being a boy more or being with 'other' boys?" one of the stagehands asked, taking a swig out of a bottle. Others laughed with him and Darcey felt uncomfortable. She felt exposed, especially when she caught one of them openly staring at her.

"How does it feel to be back in your skirts? You must have enjoyed wearing britches."

"Oh, leave off. Find your enjoyment elsewhere," a young boy, a Garren Leroy if she remembered right, said. He looked to be nineteen and had light brown hair and blue eyes.

"Oh come on, Leroy. We're just having fun with her. No harm done. It's all fun and games," one of them said, touching her hair. Garren pulled her away from the others, leaving them to their drinking and laughing.

"I'm sorry for their behavior towards you, Mademoiselle."

"It's alright. Thank you. Please call me Darcey."

"It was nothing. I'm glad I could be of service, Darcey." He bowed low, a huge smile on his face. "Please call me, Garren."

"Pleased to meet you, Garren." She returned his smile.

"Come. They don't need our help even if they are drunk." He reached out his hand and Darcey hesitated before placing hers in it. He led her down to the main floor of the stage. He pushed a curtain out of the way and held it open for her. She entered and her eyes widened. She let go of his hand and spun in a circle. There were many old props here and it was as if they had stepped into a different world. It was a fairytale land, the only thing missing were the fairies. There were fake fruit and plants, and assorted furniture. In the corner, there were a bunch of pillows on the floor. Garren plopped down and gestured for her to join him.

She settled down next to him. "Where are we? It's almost... Magical."

He leaned back on his elbows and grinned at her. "Isn't it? These are old props that aren't used anymore. I found this stuff and straighten it up a bit and now I have my own little sanctuary to myself."

"I'm not intruding am I? I wouldn't want to intrude if this is meant for you," she said starting to get up but stopped when he placed a hand on her arm.

"No, I want you to stay. This place is meant to be a safe haven. It can be one for you too. You might need it. You never know." He removed his hand and reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. He unwrapped it to reveal some biscuits. "Want one? They were fresh baked this morning." She took the offered biscuit and sat back to enjoy the buttery bread. They enjoyed the biscuits before hearing someone calling.

"Darcey! Where are you?" Meg called. "I want to talk to you!"

"Looks like we better leave," he whispered. "It appears your presence is required." He winked at her and stood, helping her up. She giggled taking his hand again as he lead her out. They came around the corner and he dropped her hand. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow. I'll look forward to it." He turned and walked away.

"There you are," Meg said, walking towards her. "I wanted to talk to you." She giggled. "Come on! I'm just dying to tell you." Meg dragged her to Darcey's room. She closed the door and pulled her over to the bed and sat down, pulling her legs up under her. "You'll never believe what I just saw." She continued without even giving her a chance to guess. "The new patron is here. He's so handsome." Darcey giggled. She had never been one to go crazy over boys but rather had been more of one to join the boys in their antics. "And even better, he snubbed La Carlotta. She tried to flirt with him and he completely ignored her. It was spectacular!"

"I wish I had been there." From what she could tell, Carlotta was just a peacock. She tried to show off and thought everyone loved her but she was horrible. She was rich and some considered pretty by most but she wasn't very talented.

"You should have seen the look on her face!" They both giggled and laughed until their sides hurt.

"What is his name?" Darcey asked after they had stopped though their cheeks were still rosy.

"His name is Lord Lionell Rossau." Darcey froze at the name. She knew him. She wondered if he would still remember her. Meg continued speaking not noticing Darcey tense. "He's very rich I hear. His father died a few years back and he inherited the title and all the lands and money that came with it."

"What about his mother. Is she still alive?" Darcey asked. Meg looked confused that she knew about his mother but answered her question anyways.

"She is still around but is bedridden, or so I was told." Darcey nodded. His mother had always been kind to her. She had understood Darcey's interests and had encouraged her to continue. She was glad to hear she was still alive though she was sad she was not well. "Lord Rossau plans on meeting all the cast tomorrow." Meg was practically bursting in her excitement. "I've never met a lord before. Have you ever met one?"

Darcey nodded. "Yes, I have." Meg's eyes widened.

"You have?"

"Yes. I've meet many. I've even seen the king and queen." Meg's jaw dropped open and Darcey couldn't help but laugh.

Meg was about to say something but Mme. Giry called for her from the hall. "I want to hear more about this later. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Sleep well tonight."

Darcey nodded, walking her to the door. She opened it to reveal Mme. Giry. "Meg, it's time to go. Run along. I need to speak to Darcey." She held a violin case in her hand and Darcey felt more excited than Meg had over Lord Rossau.

"Good night, Darcey," Meg said, giving her a hug. "I hope you consider me a friend. I consider you mine."

Darcey nodded and waved as Meg took off down the hall. Mme. Giry stepped into the room and closed the door. She walked over to the bedside table and set the case down. "I managed to find an old one in storage." She opened the case to show the violin inside. It was obviously old and well used but it looked like it was in good condition. She picked it up and the bow and tried it and was pleased at the sound. It was perfect. "It's not new by any means but I believe it will work. I also got you a timepiece. Erik doesn't have one down there but his own pocket watch. It might help you," she said, putting the necklace the timepiece was on, around her neck. She glanced down at it and tucked it beneath her bodice to lie next to her locket.

"Thank you. Everything is perfect." She gave her a big hug and Mme. Giry smiled as she hugged the exuberant girl back.

"You're welcome. I'll leave you now. Enjoy your lessons tonight." She winked before leaving.

Darcey sighed and sat down on her bed with the violin. She began to play one of songs he had taught her during her first lesson. When she reached the end, she began to make up a song. It wasn't all smooth, but she continued playing. "Very good. Seeing what you can do is good." Darcey smiled and lowered the instrument from her shoulder. "Come. It's time to go." He stood by the mirror and waited while she put the instrument in its case. She walked over to him and he took it from her and offered his arm. She took it and they began to descend.


	15. Chapter 15: Learn To Be Lonely

**A/N: While learning to be lonely is good sometimes... its also good to learn to be loved. I've learned this and am thankful for my friends. In future chapters, I will be having Darcey learn random songs. Let me know if there is one you think fits that you would like to have me use. Thanks!**

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**Chapter Fifteen:**

**Learn To Be Lonely**

She paid close attention to each turn, trying to memorize the path. She wanted to be able to get to and from his lair on her own. She hoped her ability to memorize music would help her with the effort. She counted twenty turns before they emerged into his lair. He brought her the short distance to the organ bench and set the violin case down. He opened the case and froze. He stroked the smooth wood before picking it up and handing it to her. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said. "This used to be mine."

Darcey glanced between his face and the violin before settling her gaze on the instrument. She had felt something when she had first seen the instrument. Now she knew what. The instrument was somehow a piece of Erik and she could almost sense some lingering emotion left in it. She looked back at Erik and could see moisture in his eyes. "Will you teach me another song?" she asked in a voice so low that it could barely be heard. He swallowed before nodding slightly. He pulled out some music sheets and placed them over the ones on the stand that he had obviously been planing on teaching her. She read the title. Learn To Be Lonely. She began to play and she heard him softly singing along.

_Child of the wilderness  
Born into emptiness  
Learn to be lonely  
Learn to find your way in darkness_

Who will be there for you  
Comfort and care for you  
Learn to be lonely  
Learn to be your one companion

His voice increased until he was singing at a normal volume.

_Never dreamed out in the world  
There are arms to hold you  
You've always known your heart was on its own  
_

She began to sing with him, their voices mingling with each other's as she continued playing the slow, sad song. She felt a bond growing between them as they sang this song that obviously meant a lot to him.

_So laugh in your loneliness  
Child of the wilderness  
Learn to be lonely  
Learn how to love life that is lived alone_

Learn to be lonely  
Life can be lived life can be loved alone.

Their voices faded and she played the last few measures of the song. Once she finished, the final notes still ringing in the air, she lowered the violin from her shoulder to rest in her lap. She sat watching Erik as he tried to push pass the emotion. He cleared his throat several times before speaking. "Very good. Well done." His voice cracked and he jumped up to ruffle through some more music. He picked another and set it on the stand. She began playing the song and jumped when he began playing his violin. He nodded for her to continue playing and they began the duet. The night continued in this fashion, them either playing together or singing together. Sometimes he would play the organ while she played the violin. She was picking it up fast and wanted to continue playing but she was getting tired. They finished another song and she couldn't quite stifle a yawn. She was having trouble keeping her eyes open to see the notes.

She jumped when she felt his hand on her shoulder and jerked her eyes up to meet his. "I think we should be done for tonight. You've done well and are catching on quicker than I expected." She blushed at the complement and felt another yawn coming. She tried to stifle it but failed again, to Erik's amusement. He chuckled and took the violin and bow out of her hands. He took care of them, carefully put the old instrument away before turning back to her. She was almost asleep, her eyes closed as she sat on a chair next to the organ. He chuckled and scooped her up. Her eyes opened a bit before drifting closed as he carried her to the swan bed. He thought he heard her murmur a thank you but wasn't sure.

He laid her down and pulled up the covers. He tucked her hair behind her ear before winding up the music box and leaving with one final glance back.

Darcey was dreaming peacefully when a certain man entered her dreams causing her so jerk awake. Not again. She had been sleeping peacefully the last few nights and had thought she was over them. She stared out into the dark room and couldn't help the feeling that she was all alone. She was vulnerable and weak. She felt very scared and after standing up and wrapping a blanket around herself, went to go to Erik's room. She couldn't stand to be alone any longer. She was frightened and need to have another human being near. She knocked softly on the door and it swung open. She entered slowly and blinked until she could make out Erik's form on his bed.

"Erik?" she whispered. He didn't respond and she walked slowly to the bed. "Erik?" He still didn't respond and she hesitated before laying down on the empty spot on the bed. She curled up with her blanket still wrapped around her. She promised herself that she would leave before he awoke. She yawned before falling asleep.

Erik rolled over when he heard her breathing even out. He had been startled when she had entered and had pretended to sleep while she approached. He had felt the bed shift when she had curled up in the empty space next to him. She was curled up on top of the blankets with a blanket from her own bed wrapped around her. He watched with awe as the tension in her face faded until only a peaceful expression remained. He carefully tucked her hair back behind her ear, hearing her murmur in her sleep before resettling.

He was touched that she had sought his company for comfort but was glad that he had been turned away from her as he didn't have his mask on. At the thought, he leaned up on one elbow and picked it up from the table and put it on before laying back on his right side to watch her sleep. Somehow he was calmed and felt peace from watching her. She was very beautiful in the dim light. Her chest continued to rise and fall in a slow, constant rhythm. His presence seemed to comfort her but hers was surprisingly doing the same for him. He watched her for a while longer but fell asleep. She was gone when he awoke.


	16. Chapter 16: Blushing Cheeks

**A/N: Sickity, sick, sick. YEAY *enter sarcasm here* Well this will at least be good for the story. I should be able to get a lot written. Well... I hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter Sixteen:**

**Blushing Cheeks**

Darcey had returned to her own bed at about four in the morning. She had slept soundly during the time she had been with him. It was strange that even while he was sleeping, she had felt comforted. She laid back in bed to wait for Erik to come and get her when it was time to return above. She closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.

He walked into her room to find her fast asleep. He chuckled to find she was curled up on top with a blanket wrapped around her. He walked over to her and gently shook her shoulder. "Darcey, it's time to go." She stirred and he froze when her big green and blue eye locked on his.

"Hello," she said softly. She blushed when he continued to look at her. He cleared his throat, heat rising in his cheeks. He turned away from her until his masked side of his face was towards her.

"Good morning. It's five o'clock. Get dressed and I will take you back." He turned back to her to see her stretch before he left the room.

When the door was closed, Darcey stood up and lazily walked over to the closet. It turned out that he was right about leaving some dresses down here. She picked out a sky blue bodice and a brilliant blue skirt and pulled them on. She was pleased to find her ribs hardly hurt at all when she tightened the corset. It had taken a few days to get used to doing one up after the time she had spent without one. She brushed the knee-length skirt smooth before slipping some shoes on. She glanced at herself in the mirror and sighed. She wished she had longer hair. She ran a comb through her short hair and decided it was as good as it was going to get. She couldn't just wish it longer; she would have to wait until it grew out. She wrinkled her nose at her reflection before making a funny face. She couldn't help but smile before she left the room.

Erik was standing next to the organ, looking through a stack of music sheets. She slowly approached and he glanced up at her. "I'm finding some songs for you to practice. They are a little bit more difficult but I think you can handle them." He straighten and placed the sheets of paper in her violin case before closing it. He picked it up and held out his arm for her to take. She took it gratefully and they headed up to the surface.

On the way up, Darcey counted the number of turns, finding some places that she recognized. She hoped she would be able to find her way on her own before too many more days. Soon she reached twenty and they were at her room. She let go of his arm and took the violin case from him. "Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome, Darcey. Until tonight," he said before disappearing back the way he came. Darcey closed the entrance and put her violin away. She could hear the sounds of people waking throughout the opera house. She glanced at the mirror before pulling out her timepiece. Five thirty. She tucked it out of sight before opening her door and stepping out into the hall. She saw a few people wandering the halls. The faint smell of fresh bread drifted to her nose and she followed it towards the kitchen. She entered and giggled when she saw Garren. He was teasing one of the maids into giving him a taste of bread. The poor girl was cherry red from the attention of the handsome young man. The girl handed him a slice of the bread and he took a bite before exclaiming how good it was. She giggled and straightened in pride. He winked at her and her faded cheeks went straight back to bright red. At this time, he saw Darcey standing in the doorway and motioned her over.

"You have got to try this bread that Marie has made this beautiful morning. It's sublime!" he exclaimed.

Marie sliced off another chunk and handed it to Darcey. She had to admit it was good. It reminded her of the bread she used to make with her grandmother. "It is good."

"It's better than good. It's amazing! It's fit to feed a king!" Darcey rolled her eyes at him as Marie giggled. He was too handsome and far too charming for the good of all the young girls. He probably left a trail of broken hearts where ever he went.

"Darcey?" Meg called as she entered the room. "Oh, there you are..." She froze when she saw Garren. He winked at her and she blushed.

"I'll see you ladies later," Garren said before bowing and leaving the room.

Darcey heard Meg sigh and she couldn't help but giggle. "Oh stop it," Meg said, pulling her out of the kitchen. Meg watched as Garren disappeared out of sight before continuing.

"You're in love with Garren. Aren't you?" Darcey asked, grinning at her.

"Shh. Not so loud!"

"Aha! It's true. You are in love with him." Meg nodded and sighed. Darcey nudged her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I won't tell him." Meg breathed a sigh of relief. "Did you really think I would tell him? Heck no. That's your job not mine."

Meg shook her head. "I couldn't. I think I would die if he didn't love me back." Darcey rolled her eyes but remained silent. Meg was quiet for a while too before she spoke up, changing the subject. "Lord Rossau wants to meet everyone today."

Darcey sighed. "What time?" She looked at her timepiece to find it was six o'clock.

Meg giggled. "As soon as La Carlotta is awake and ready." They both giggled. She wouldn't be up for at least another hour and then would take at least another hour to eat and dress. It looked like they had two hours until they had to meet on the stage to meet the patron. She wondered if he would remember her. They had grown up near each other and had played together as children sometimes. She had seen him at later times as well, at balls and parties. She sighed. She would just have to wait and see.


	17. Chapter 17: Remembered or Forgotten?

**A/N: May I just say thank you to RedDeathLvr for their wonderful reviews. I had begun to wonder if I had been forgotten. Also a big thank you to my friends, namely Chozogal and GrippenJ39, for their support and for beta'ing for me especially while I've been sick. Thank you all so much. *Virtual hugs* Love you guys! You guys rock! **

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**Chapter Seventeen:**

**Remembered or Forgotten?**

Two and a half hours later, La Carlotta had finally been ready so that the entire staff could meet on the stage to be introduced to the patron. Darcey was extremely nervous and couldn't help but fidget. She wondered if he would remember her and wasn't sure if she wanted him to or not. She wasn't sure she wanted everyone to know that she had once been a Lady from a very wealthy family. It could be unsafe for her as someone could attempt to hold her for ransom though she knew her distant cousin wouldn't pay anything for her. He was too greedy and didn't care about her. Neither did any of the rest of her extended family. She would wish the person foolish enough to kidnap her good luck but she doubted they would be able to get anything from anyone. It would be disappointing all around. She stood next to Meg and couldn't help but reach out for her hand. She needed comfort.

Meg smiled at her and squeezed her hand in understanding. She may not know why she needed comfort but she understood that she needed it and was quick to offer it. Darcey froze when she heard the managers approaching. They were obviously talking to someone that couldn't be anyone but Lionell Rossau. She ran a shaky hand through her short hair. 'Here goes nothing,' she thought. 'Just act natural.' She heard a deep laugh that she recognized.

"Here he is," Meg whispered. Darcey could only manage to nod, her eye glued on the approaching figures. He was just as handsome as she remembered. She remembered quite clearly that he had been considered one of the most handsome young men and the girls had constantly been fawning over him until Darcey felt sick. She had always tried to avoid those kinds of conversations and had even, in desperation, turned the topic of conversation to some mundane subject such as dress styles.

Darcey shook her head to bring her mind back to the present. Mme. Giry and the managers were talking briefly to Lionell. He happened to glance up at her and he winked and she blushed that she had been caught staring. He said something to the managers and Mme. Giry and they nodded and bowed. Mme. Giry then began to take Lionell around the room and introduce him to the people that were standing and sitting about. There were some distinct groups in some areas that secluded themselves from the others. She was pondering on this when Meg nudged her with her elbow. Darcey looked up and found Lionell approaching them with Mme. Giry at his side.

"My daughter, Meg Giry," she said, indicating her daughter.

"A pleasure, Mademoiselle," he said in a honeyed tone as he kissed her hand. He then turned to Darcey. "And this lovely lady?"

"Darcey Dubois. She came to be with us recently."

Darcey watched his face closely to see if he recognized her. "Dubois? You must be related to Lord Dubois who lives near my home." She nodded. "I'm pleased to meet you Mademoiselle Dubois. I look forward to getting to know both of you," he winked at them both before continuing on without a backward glance. Darcey sighed sadly. He hadn't recognized her. He may have recognized her family name but he did not remember her personally.

Meg looked at her with a look of confusion on her face before realization dawned on her face. "You knew him before." It was a statement not a question.

Darcey sighed. "He didn't recognize me." Compassion filled Meg's face and she put an arm around Darcey's shoulder. Darcey smiled at her. She may not know everything about her yet but she knew that she was the best friend she could have hoped for.

"Thanks for being my friend," she whispered as Lionell and Mme. Giry finished their bout around the room. They joined the managers again and soon one of them cleared their throat.

"Lord Rossau has discussed with us and we have decided to give everyone the day off." A cheer went up and Darcey heard Lionell's rolling laughter sound throughout a room. It had always done that. People started to scatter as they hurried to take advantage of the unexpected day off. Darcey and Meg squealed simultaneous as Garren came up behind them and spoke in their ears.

"What say you that we go on a picnic?" Garren grinned at the girls that had spun around when he had begun speaking. He had caught them off guard and he had to bit his lip to keep from outright laughing.

Meg placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart. "Don't do that! You about scared the daylights out of me!" He chuckled and was slapped playfully on the arm by the slightly offended Meg. "He's laughing at me!" she exclaimed to Darcey. Darcey giggled. Meg folded her arms. "No fair. I don't have a chance against both of you," she pouted. Darcey reached over and poked her in the ribs causing her to squeal. "Hey! No tickling!"

Garren chuckled. It appeared that someone was extremely ticklish. He made a mental note just in case he should ever need anything. When Meg tickled Darcey back, he added her to the list as well. Darcey didn't seem to be quite as ticklish but she still was. He chuckled at the two before speaking up again. "How about that picnic?"

Meg's face screwed up in confusion. "But it's cold outside. We would freeze if we went out!"

A mischievous expression crossed his face and he winked at them, overjoyed to see them both blush. "Who ever said anything about going outside?" Both girls looked confused but then realization entered Darcey's face. He heard a soft, "Oh," before she grinned. Meg looked between the two of them in frustration that she was left out.

"Hey! Where are we going then?" Neither responded but merely looked at each other with a significant look. Meg sighed in defeat. "You aren't going to tell me, are you?" They both shook their heads and she rolled her eyes. "Fine, but we had better get going on this picnic before I get especially put out with the both of you."

Garren bowed low, biting back a laugh. She could be so funny sometimes. He straightened. "I'll be right back with a blanket and a picnic basket. Don't go anywhere now. I would be extremely disappointed to return and find myself devoid of the company of two lovely ladies." They both blushed at the compliment and he rushed to get the things needed for their picnic. He could not wait!


	18. Chapter 18: Finding Safety

**A/N: Ooooo! Indoor Picnic! And in a fairytale like setting! How perfect! Ok. Enough exclamation marks. I personally think this chapter is cute. Especially the end. No skipping to the end though! That would not be cool ^-^. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Eighteen:**

**Finding Safety**

Garren returned with a basket in the crook of his arm. He reached for both of the girls' hands and led the way. He noted a slight tremble in Meg's but after he saw the expression on her face, figured it was from excitement and anticipation. Darcey looked happy and she kept glancing towards Meg on his other side. When they were close to the sanctuary he had created, he slowed and dramatically looked around until he heard them laugh. He dropped their hands and held the curtain back for them to enter before him. He grinned at Meg, and Darcey giggled at her expression. Meg's jaw had dropped open and she stared in awe at their beautiful surroundings. Darcey plopped down on the blanket after helping Garren lay it down straight. She spread the food out while Meg took it all in.

"This place is amazing! How did you find it? It feels like I've stepped into a fairytale." Meg finally settled down and Garren uncovered the food he had gotten them.

"Garren made this sanctuary. I felt the same way when he rescued me to bring me here. I was sure I had been saved by a knight in shining armor and brought to a magical fairy land." Garren blushed. Darcey grinned at the two. They both were uncomfortable, she could tell. She just ate while they recovered and began to eat as well. As she watched them, she had caught each of them sneaking glances of the other person. Meg looked determined to focus on her food and avoid any eye contact with either of them, especially the man she was beginning to care about. Darcey sighed to herself. Usually Meg was very talkative but suddenly she was quieter than a mouse. A grin began to spread across Darcey's face as a plan formed in her mind. It was simple but she believed it would work. After eating her fill and participating in some small talk, mostly with Garren, she stood up. Both of the others had looks of confusion on their faces.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Meg asked, moving to stand but was stopped by Darcey's answer.

"I'm fine. I need to practice my violin if I want to be in the orchestra." When Meg started to say she would go with her, Darcey interrupted. "No, you two enjoy yourselves. No need to leave on my account. I'll talk to you later." She waved goodbye and exited, leaving the curtain swaying slightly.

Meg sighed nervously as she was left alone in Garren's company. He sat back, holding his weight with his hands behind him. He was looking at her and she had to look away. When she glanced back at him, she found that he was still looking at her, a grin on his face. She looked away to look at her surroundings yet again. There was such a feeling of safety and peace here and she could tell why Darcey had called it a sanctuary. If only she didn't feel so nervous in his company.

As if he had heard her thoughts, he asked, "Do you like it here? My sanctuary?" She nodded. "You know it could be yours, too. I don't mind sharing it with you, Sweetheart." He winked at her before plucking a grape off of its vine and tossing it into his mouth. Meg found herself watching that mouth as he ate and she blushed. Garren leaned over the food to grasp her chin and turn her face to look at his. "I make you uncomfortable. Don't I?" He frowned.

"A little," she admitted quietly. He sighed, releasing her face.

"I don't mean too." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration and swore under his breath. He mumbled an apology for doing so in her presence, being as she was a lady. She laid a trembling hand on his arm and he immediately looked up at her. She smiled comfortingly and he pulled back his arm so her hand slid down it to rest in his hand. He squeezed it gently and was relieved when she squeezed his back. He stood and helped her up to led her over to the pillows in the corner where she could be more comfortable while they talked and he planed on talking to her. He kept possession of her hand and stroked his thumb over the back of it. They sat silent for awhile before they began to talk quietly, as if they were afraid they would scare the other if they spoke too loud. They talked long in the day and it was beginning to get late. She was closer to him now and he was glad. He still was in possession of her hand and he didn't want to let it go. She yawned and he looked over to see her eyes were drooping. He pulled her closer to wrap her in his arms. She stiffened and he whispered in her ear. "Don't worry. You're safe." She relaxed and closed her eyes and was soon asleep, her body pulled close to his.

Garren breathed in the scent of her hair. It smelled so clean and fresh. He was glad she felt safe in his arms. He wasn't sure of his feelings towards her yet but he could feel his heart speed up whenever she was near. He stroked her straight, blond hair as she snuggled closer to his warmth. He enjoyed her company and hoped she would grow more comfortable around him and allow them to explore their relationship. He didn't know where it would go from here but he was curious to find out. She sighed in her sleep and he smiled, placing a kiss on the top of her head. She certainly was beautiful. She was friends with Darcey too and he knew Darcey to be a good judge of character even though he didn't know her well. He yawned and allowed his eyes to close, telling himself he would get up in a minute but he fell asleep with Meg snug in his arms, both feeling safe in the sanctuary he had created.


	19. Chapter 19: I Have Found The Light

**A/N:I decided to try my hand at song writing again. I hope it sounds good. Please review! I love getting them. They make my day. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Nineteen:**

**I Have Found The Light**

Darcey smiled as she left the sanctuary. She walked to her room and closed the door behind her. She got the old violin out and just looked at it for awhile. Erik had carved a music note into the back of it and she traced it gently with her finger. The instrument was beautiful and she was glad Mme. Giry had found it for her. She got out the music sheets and laid them down on the bed next to her. She played for several hours until she had played each song several times. She finished a song and instead of moving to a different one, she found herself playing on her own. She closed her eyes as she played.

_My life is a story._

_My life is a song._

_Everyday is a chapter._

_Everyday is a verse._

_People enter its pages_

_to stay and to go._

_The words tell a story, _

_of wonder and woe._

_The things that I know_

_The places I go, _

_They each leave an impact._

_A shadow on my soul._

_Past days are filled with pain_

_The pages filled with sorrow. _

_I whimper and cry_

_For the days long ago_

_No one would listen_

_I was all alone_

_I cried out for comfort_

_But no one could hear_

_I met a man_

_A man alone like me_

_He could hear me_

_Could hear me when I cried._

_I am no longer lonely_

_My heart begins to heal_

_My courage is growing._

_My heart learns love again_

_I had reached out for comfort_

_Longing for love_

_The peace and the light_

_The beauties of the world. _

_The world turned away_

_Took away the light_

_I was left with horror_

_Emptiness and fear._

_I have found the light. _

_I have found the peace._

_I have found the things_

_I had longed to know._

_I have found the beauty. _

_I have found the music._

_I have found the light._

_I have found the light._

Darcey set the violin down and wiped the tears from her face. It was true. Every word of the song was true. She had known a lot of pain in her past but now, she was seeing the light again. She couldn't help the tears continuing to slip down her cheeks. She curled up on her bed and closed her eyes. She soon fell asleep.

Erik stepped into Darcey's room to behold upon a sight he had not expected. The sheet music was laid on the foot of her bed with the violin and bow placed on top of it. What surprised him was to find her curled up in a ball, fast asleep but with telling moisture on her face. She had been crying and he wondered why. Was she sad? Was she in pain? He walked quietly over to her and gently shook her shoulder. "Darcey?" he whispered. She opened her red-rimmed eyes and they found his eyes, filled with concern. She sat up slowly and sat silent and shy on the bed. He sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, wiping the tears from her face but it was still evident she had crying. Her eyes and tear-stained cheeks told the truth. "It's nothing. I was just remembering the past," she whispered. Erik sighed and when another tear slipped down her face, pulled her tight into his arms.

He rocked her and whispered comforting words to her as she cried. He wondered what had happened to her that was so terrible that the mere thought of it brought tears to her eyes. He wished he could help her. Take away her pain. He hated to see her so miserable. She continued crying softly into his shirt, her arms wrapped around his waist. She quieted and when he looked at her, he found she was asleep again. Her arms were still wrapped tight around his waist as if she was afraid he would leave her.

She was so beautiful and he lifted one hand to brush her hair away from her face. It was longer than it had been when he first met her. He wondered if she was going to grow it out completely. The thought made him sad for some reason. He liked her short hair. It was very flattering to her and though he was sure she would be beautiful with long hair, he secretly hoped she wouldn't let it grow past her shoulders.

As the hours went by and she was still asleep, Erik moved to lay her down. When he tried to release her, her arms tightened. Not knowing what else to do, Erik laid down next to her. He held her tight and stroked her back. Resting his chin on top of her head, he thought for a long time. What were his feelings towards this girl. What was it about her that made her so different and special to him? He was afraid that he was falling in love with her and didn't know how he could stop himself. She was perfect in every way that he could see. But she could never love him just as Christine hadn't been able to. A thought popped into his head that she hadn't run away after spending all that time down in his lair but had instead sought out his company afterwards. He pushed the thought away. He wouldn't give himself false hope. Even if he was in love with her, he could never marry her. She wouldn't accept. He reminded himself that she had yet to see him without his mask. She would no doubt be frightened by the sight.

Yet she had scars too. He had seen the light, white lines on her back and her arms. She had many emotional scars as well. He was afraid those were the ones yet to heal. She seemed to be getting better though. With friends around her, she might be able to heal completely and move past them. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before resting his chin back on it. He closed his eyes. He hoped he would be able to help her.


	20. Chapter 20: Warm Embrace

**A/N: I am so proud of myself! My last story was only nineteen chapters long and here we are at chapter twenty and still have a ways to go. GO ME! Lol. Anywho... Erik is going to be sweet rather than detached for a little while... It's not going to last long so I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. I hope you enjoy.**

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**Chapter Twenty:**

**Warm Embrace**

Darcey snuggled deeper into the warm embrace. Wait... embrace? Darcey froze but relaxed when she remembered what had happened. She had fallen asleep in Erik's arms and he must have decided to lay next to her. He stroked her hair and she pulled slightly back until she could see his face. She found his blue eyes watching her. "Hello," she whispered not wanting to disrupt the moment.

"Hello. You can go back to sleep. It's only four in the morning." Darcey noticed that it was still mostly dark but she didn't want to fall back to sleep. She wanted to enjoy his embrace.

He rolled onto his back and she was afraid he was going to leave her. When he instead, pulled her closer, she was overjoyed. She laid her head on his chest. She sighed happily and closed her eyes, determined to enjoy his embrace. "Erik?"

"Hmm?" She felt his lips on the crown of her head.

"Thank you." He didn't respond but she knew he had heard her. Darcey could hear his heart beating against her ear. She was very comfortable and relaxed.

"Darcey?" She moved her hand which was on his stomach. He took that to mean she was still awake. "Will you ever tell me how you got your scars? Someday will you trust me enough?" He heard her sigh and fully expected her to remain quiet but she said yes. She said it very quietly that he could barely hear her. "When?" He knew he had no right to ask but he had to know.

"As soon as I can." She paused. "Soon. I'll tell you soon. I'm just... not ready yet."

He stroked her back. "I understand." He wondered how long it would take for her to be ready. 'Maybe I should tell her my story.' He was shocked at the thought. The only one that knew his story was Mme. Giry. He heard her mumble something. "What?"

"I just remembered today was my birthday," she whispered. "I'm twenty now." Erik made a mental note to do something special for her. He knew thats not why she had told him but he wanted to nonetheless. He did the math and figured that she was about six years younger than him. He wondered what she would like as a gift. He stroked her hair back from her face. Another benefit to her having short hair was that he had an excuse to touch her. Not that it seemed he needed one since he kept finding himself with her in his arms.

They didn't talk for then next two hours as the sun rose. They started to hear the sound of other people waking up throughout the opera house. Erik didn't want to let her go. He wanted to spend the entire day with her. He smiled as he got an idea. "How about you take the day off for your birthday? I'm sure Mme. Giry would allow you to."

She pulled away a bit to look up at Erik. She smiled and he released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "I think I will. Then I could practice the violin some more or spend more time with you..." She blushed and he grinned at her.

"Great. I'll go ask her while you change." She looked very cute this morning with her hair and clothes slightly ruffled. The longer her hair got, it seemed the more the ends curled. They both stood. Erik walked over to the mirror, while Darcey walked to her closet to get fresh clothes. Erik exited the room and went down the passageway at a near run. He had to ask Mme. Giry and then he was going to buy her a gift. He had figured out a gift for her during the two hours they had been silent.

He knocked on the door, paused, and entered. She was at her desk, writing. "What did you want, Erik?" she asked, not looking up from her writing.

"May Darcey take the day off. Today is her birthday and..."

"Of course she can," she interrupted. "Now get out of here and go buy her a gift before there are too many people in the market."

He approached her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." He turned and managed not to run until he was out of the room. He ran all the way down to his lair and grabbed his cloak. He hurried back to the surface. He paused to pull on the hood of his cloak before stepping out on the street. He preferred to go out at night if he had to go out. At least it was slightly chilly and gave him an excuse for him to leave his hood on. He didn't want anyone to stare at his mask. He entered the shop and began looking around. He sighed with relief when he found what he had been looking for. The perfect headband. He paid for it and hurried back to the opera house. He went back in and approached the secret entrance to her room. He glanced at the time to find that thirty minutes had passed by. She should be ready by now. He entered and found her dressed and running a comb through her hair.

"Stupid hair," she mumbled. It was curling funny and he couldn't help but chuckle. She put her hands on her hips. "It's not funny. It's very annoying." She sat down on the seat in front of the vanity.

He chuckled again and decided now was just as good a time to give her his gift. He walked over to her and combed his fingers through her hair. "I think it looks beautiful," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. It was getting wavy as it got longer. He pulled the package out of his cloak pocket and deposited it in her lap. He watched her through the mirror as her eyes widened before she opened the package.

"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed, fingering the metal song bird on the side of it. "It's perfect." She put it on and the short pieces of hair in the front still fell forward. She stood up and turned to wrap her arms around him. "Thank you, Erik."

"You're welcome. Come, let's go. We have the day to ourselves." He picked up her violin case and led her by the hand down to his lair.


	21. Chapter 21: A Perfect Day

**A/N: Holy cow. The actual story is at... 24,798 words as of now. It's crazy! I've never written a story this long before. While today might not be "a perfect day" it's pretty good. Life is good. **

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**Chapter Twenty-one:**

**A Perfect Day**

Today was going perfect. Darcey had been able to know almost the entire way to his lair which meant soon she would be able to come and go as she pleased without Erik's help. She had had another violin lesson and was improving greatly. All the hours she had spent playing were paying off and Erik anticipated that she would be ready to join the orchestra in three or four days. Now they sat next to each other by the lakeside talking.

"Tell me about your past," Darcey suddenly asked. He was silent. "I'm sorry. I'm curious and want to know more about you."

Erik sighed. It wasn't fair to expect her to answer all his questions about her past without doing the same. He took a deep breath. He would just keep it short and avoid any details he could. "My mother didn't love me. She was horrified at my face. She bought me a mask and forced me to wear it whenever I was in her presence. When I was young, the gypsies came through Paris. My mother sold me to them and I was put on display. The Devil's Child. People would watch as the leader of the gypsies would beat me. They would laugh at my pain and my face."

She gasped. "How horrible. How did you get out?"

Erik smiled a bit. "Mme. Giry helped me out when I was seven. Antoinette was only sixteen at the time. The gypsies had stayed in Paris for a few years and the ballerinas came to see. When all the people left and he was counting the money, I made a lasso and strangled him. I was terrified. I stared at him until I heard a gasp. When I looked up, there she was. She opened the cage door and we ran. She hid me in the opera house and I have been here ever since. It was my playground and is now my realm."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. They were silent a while, before she spoke again. "Thank you for telling me. I know it's not easy."

He didn't respond but neither did she expect him too. What was one to say in that kind of situation? Erik couldn't think of anything. Today had been good and other than her question, had been happy. He didn't want the day to end like this. It was only four in the afternoon but Darcey had said that she wanted to spend some time with Meg before their nighttime lesson. He was glad she still planned on having a lesson with him tonight even though they had already had one. They only had an hour left until she was going to meet with Meg. He picked up a smooth stone and skipped it across the lake. He was counting the number of skips when Darcey spoke interrupting his count.

"Will you teach me how to skip rocks? I've always wanted to learn but my father never knew how and the neighbor boys wouldn't teach me."

He grinned. "Of course. It would be my pleasure to instruct you in the fine art of skipping stones." She giggled. He stood and helped her to her feet. "The best stones for skipping are smooth and flat. Like this one," he said picking one up and handing it to her. "Now you hold it like this." He positioned her hand with his. Her fingers were only slightly warmer than his own. He moved to stand behind her as he showed her how to throw it, flicking her wrist. He felt a thrill from standing so close to her, their arms touching and her back against his chest. He stood back from her after moving her through the motion again. "You try it now." She tried to copy the move but it only skipped once before sinking. She sighed and he handed her another stone, moving behind her again. "Let me help you." They threw it together and were able to get six skips until it sank. "Good. Try on your own now." She bent and picked up another stone. He smiled to see her press a lucky kiss to it before throwing it.

"One. Two. Three. Four," her voice raised in excitement, "Five. Six. Seven. Eight!" She was practically jumping with joy. She picked up another one and this time only got three. They continued skipping stones until it was time to return. He grinned when he saw her place a exceptionally smooth stone in her pocket. For some reason, he had a feeling that she would save that stone. "May I lead the way this time?" she asked when she was ready to leave. He nodded and she smiled, reaching out for his hand. He took it and they started off down the passageway. At each intersection, he would pause and allow her to say which way they should go. She was able to say the right direction on all but two of the twenty intersections.

"Thank you for today, Erik. It was perfect." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight." She turned and ran from the room to go meet Meg.

"You're welcome," he whispered even though she was no longer there. He placed a hand over his cheek where she had kissed him. She had kissed him on the cheek twice now. Something he had never expected her or anyone to ever do. He walked to her bedside table and set the violin case down. He should get her a stand for her music. He would see if he could find an old one somewhere she could use. He turned and left her room after a quick look around. For a female, she had few material things. Though she didn't have very much money, he still expected her to have something but it seemed she did not. She appeared to have no jewelry but her grandmother's locket and the timepiece Mme. Giry had given her. He sighed. He should just leave her be but he couldn't help but care about her and want her to be happy. She had been so happy to receive his gift earlier. Surely he could give her something else to make her happy. With these thoughts, Erik left to head down to his lair.


	22. Chapter 22: Buying Dresses

**A/N: Well... I don't have much to say about this chapter... I guess the only thing to say is, enjoy!**

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**Chapter Twenty-two**

**Buying Dresses**

"Darcey! You'll never believe what happened! Come on! Guess!" Meg exclaimed after pulling her into the room and closing the door. Darcey started to guess but was interrupted. "I had the most amazing time. We talked and he held my hand. I fell asleep and he held me in his arms. He must have fallen asleep after that because, when I woke up, he was asleep. He was so sweet and escorted me to my room. He kissed my hand and bid me good night. It was so sweet." She sighed happily. Darcey resisted the urge to roll her eyes or giggle. Her friend was completely hopeless when it came to Garren. She had fallen irrevocably in love. "Do you think he likes me back?" Meg asked in a whisper, fear in the back of her eyes.

"Of course he does! I've seen the way he looks at you. He's just as in love with you as you are with him." Meg blushed but Darcey saw she was thinking hard about what she had said. Why were people so blind when it comes to love? They are not able to see that they are in love or that the other person is in love with them. Why was love so complicated? Even if they can see the truth, some still choose to ignore it or are unable to do anything. Some are too afraid to love and avoid the situation which ends up hurting them more than it would have hurt to try their luck at love and fail in the process.

They both were lost in their thoughts until Meg seemed to snap out of the bonds of her mind. She smiled at Darcey. "Enough of this. It's your birthday and I am determined to take you shopping, and buy you some gifts. No arguing. I'm taking you." Darcey tried to change her mind but Meg put a hand over her mouth. "Shush. You are doing me a favor. It's been too long since I've been shopping and I need to get my mind off the entire situation. Please! Come with me."

Darcey sighed though she couldn't help but smile. "Oh, alright. If you insist." Meg squealed in joy and ran to her money. When she returned, they linked arms before heading out. They were about to go out the front door when someone called Darcey's name.

"Ah, Darcey. I've been wondering where you were. Where are you going?" Lionell asked, sprinting over to them.

"I'm taking Darcey shopping for her birthday," Meg said. She continued in a stage whisper as if Darcey would not be able to hear her. "I'm going to buy her something and then we're going to get some pastries from the bakery." Darcey elbowed Meg in the ribs. Why did she tell him that? He didn't need to know it was her birthday.

Lionell chuckled. "You do that, Meg was it? Darcey needs to enjoy herself. Have fun girls."

"We will," Meg said walking away with her arm still linked with Darcey's.

"Wait. Darcey, will you go to dinner with me tomorrow? For your birthday of course." Darcey nodded mutely. Lionell grinned at her. "Great. We'll leave at seven. Until tomorrow."

Meg nudged Darcey causing her to blush. "Someone likes you." Darcey's cheeks were still burning and she pulled Meg out the door so they could get going. Meg chuckled and started talking to cover up the awkward moment. "Let's go to the dress shop. I want to buy us dresses. Maybe we can find Masquerade costumes! I just love Masquerade! Don't you?" Darcey nodded. They entered the shop and one of the helpers approached them.

"My name is Mademoiselle Leroy. I will be assisting you. What have you two lovely ladies come here for? Dresses? Chemises? Corsets?" The girl was about seventeen years old with curly brown hair pulled back with a pink ribbon that matched her dress. She had a lovely figure and a pretty face. "If you tell me what you are envisioning, I can help you find what you are looking for."

Meg clapped her hands in excitement. "This is going to be so much fun!" She introduced themselves to the girl and they moved to the back of the shop to try dresses on. It had been a very long time since the last time she had been in a dress shop.

The girl found an armful of dresses for each of them to try on. They each picked up a dress from their piles and entered the dressing rooms. Darcey changed into the new dress and looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was a sunny yellow with ruffles on the sleeves and the bodice. She didn't usually wear the color but she had to admit it was pretty. She come out of the dressing room and laughed at Meg. She was making a funny face at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a cobalt blue dress with thin shoulder straps, that were no more than a half-inch wide. "That is a very pretty dress."

Meg made a face. "It doesn't look good on me." She turned to look at Darcey. She looked at her for a minute before grinning. "Let's switch." They traded dresses and soon came back out. "You look perfect in that! Much better than I did." The dress shimmered in the light making the blue silk appear to be made out of water. The cut was very simple with a long skirt. It was very flattering to her gentle curves and slim figure. "You look amazing."

"You do too. You look like a drop of the sun fell out of the sky and turned into a girl. Like sunshine personified." The yellow dress with Meg's blond hair, truly made her look like the sun. Darcey almost expected to feel a warmth coming off of her. Meg twirled, giggling. After some urging, Darcey did the same. When she spun, the skirt swirled around her legs, causing ripples like a stone dropped upon the surface of a pond. Darcey stopped and grinned at Meg. "I think we have found our costumes. All we need are masks."

Meg grinned back. "It seems we have. Now we need to find something for your dinner outing with Lord Dreamy." Darcey blushed. The two girls proceeded to try on dresses until they each found two more. Then they found underthings and stockings. Meg paid for their purchases and with an extra coin thrown in, was assured that the one dress for Darcey would be finished being altered and delivered to the opera house by the next afternoon and the other things would arrive the day after.

The girls stopped by the bakery on the way home and picked up some pastries to eat on the walk back. They shivered in the chill air and walked faster. It was warm for being the beginning of November but the evenings still brought a bitter cold as the day wore on. By the time they got back, it was time to retire for the night. They said their good nights and parted ways until the next day.


	23. Chapter 23: Dead Inside

**A/N: *Sigh* This is a sad chapter. I don't know whether enjoying it is the appropriate hope. Well... Um... I don't know what to say. I guess read and review and... enjoy, for what it's worth.**

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**Chapter Twenty-three**

**Dead Inside**

Darcey didn't think she had ever had a better birthday and the fun was going to extend to tomorrow. She had spent time with Erik and Meg and tomorrow she would spend time with Lionell. How could it get better than this? She sighed, happy. Just then a thought entered her mind. A dark thought, a lingering doubt that pricked her still. She shook her head. She wouldn't dwell on it. She sat down in the chair. Erik would come get her for their nighttime violin lesson in a few minutes. She let her eyes drift closed as she thought over the events of the day. It truly had been wonderful.

Erik started off towards Darcey's room. He had found music stand for her as well as a jewelry box. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she saw them but when he entered her room, he found her asleep. He chuckled and set down the stand and the jewelry box. He turned towards her but noticed a piece of paper on the floor by the door. He strode over and bent to pick it up. It wasn't sealed and he couldn't help his curiosity.

_Dear Darcey,_

_I'm afraid a situation has come up and I will not be able to take you to dinner at seven. I was saddened when I was made aware of this as I was looking forward to your company. However I will be able to resolve this issue by nine in the evening and, if you would allow, would like to take you out to dinner still. Please let me know if this will work or allow me to reschedule with you. I hope your birthday was as wonderful as you are. _

_Yrs,_

_Lionell_

Erik's heart sunk. It was happening again. He was going to lose Darcey to another patron. He should have seen something like this as going to happen. He had begun to hope that things could be different but it was exactly the same. Well this time he wasn't going to try and stop her. It would only prolong his torture. He strode angrily to her small writing desk and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. He began to write her a note.

_Mademoiselle Dubois,_

_You have grown quite proficient on the violin and no longer need my instruction. I will inform Mme. Giry that you are ready and all will be taken care of. I took the liberty of leaving you some things that might help you in your future career. We will no longer need to meet. Should you ever need my help, leave me a note on the other side of the secret door or give it to Mme. Giry and I will get it and help you if I can. If I may ask a personal favor, please help Meg and Garren. I believe they will be happy together but my need help developing their relationship. The best way for me to repay my debt to Antoinette is to help her daughter be happy. A word of caution to you. Be careful. Even things that may seem innocent can be dangerous, as you probably know. Do not think you are in my debt as all I did was of my own actions and I never wished to be repaid. Good luck in the orchestra._

_-O.G._

By the time Erik had finished, he was crying. His time with her was coming to an end and he didn't want to let her go. The world had played yet another cruel trick on him. Hadn't he suffered enough? He guessed not. Life had tricked him yet again. Why hadn't he learned his lesson? Love was not made for monsters like him. They were only for rich and handsome men of society not for lowly nobodies like him. His place was in the shadows as a ghost of the opera house. He was meant to live this life alone. He had been cast out of heaven long ago and was now cursed to live in a virtual hell on earth. The sooner he accepted the hand he had been given, he would only cause himself more pain and anguish. He placed the note onto of the jewelry box and was about to leave but couldn't stop himself from turning back to look at her one last time. He was setting her free and to remain any longer would only cause grief. Still he returned to her sleeping form and tucked her hair behind her ears. "I love you," he whispered in a voice so low it could have only been his imagination that he said the words at all. He wiped tears from his face and after putting a blanket over her, turned and fled the room.

He could not stand it any longer. He wandered the path blindly. Why? What had he done to deserve this lot that life had handed him? He could think of no sin bad enough to be deserving of the curse of living a loveless life of pain and sorrow. Entering his lair, he strode to his desk. He opened the top drawer to pull out a stack of papers, he started at the bottom. Pictures of Christine that he had not been able to get rid of even when he knew she was lost to him. Many were severely burnt but he had not had the strength to give them up. He then reached a new sheet of paper. This one was not burnt and like the previous ones, had been drawn with love. The familiar face of Darcey made his heart ache. As he continued through the drawings, his heart hurt anew. He had been sure that life had been handing him a chance at love but it turned out he had been utterly mistaken and he was paying the price. He reached the top picture and couldn't help his tears. She had been playing her violin, it perching on her shoulder when she had glanced up and smiled at him. He would never forget that moment and knew it would haunt him for the rest of his life. In a fit of fury, he held a candle to the pile. He couldn't do it. He stomped out the fire not two seconds later. He was too weak to let this go. He picked up the pile now burnt on the edge and placed it back in the drawer. He lovingly stroked a finger down Darcey's cheek in the picture before closing the drawer. He walked to his room slowly, his body drained of energy. He collapsed on the bed, fully clothed. The last thought to go through his mind was that he felt dead inside.


	24. Chapter 24: Living a Lie?

**A/N: Have you ever felt like you were living a lie? If not, you are lucky. If so, you know what I'm talking about. It sucks. I'm glad for friends to pull me out of my slumps and get me going in the right direction, much like Darcey's are doing. I hope you enjoy and have a great day. ^-^**

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**Chapter Twenty-four:**

**Living a Lie?**

When Darcey woke up, she looked around herself in confusion before remembering what had happened. She had sat down to wait for Erik but must have fallen asleep. He had obviously come and decided to let her sleep. She stood up and put the blanket away before dressing. She saw a note on the floor and picked it up, sitting down on the bed to read it. It was from Lionell and it said he wouldn't be able to take her at seven but that he would be able to later in the evening. She sighed. What should she do? That's when she had planned on having a violin lesson with Erik.

It was then that Darcey noticed another note on top of a jewelry box on her bedside table. She was curious about the contents of the box but was even more so about the note. She glanced down at the signature and felt her heart sink. It was signed O. G. When she read the salutation, she couldn't help the sob that rose in her throat. He had addressed it as Mademoiselle Dubois rather than Darcey. He was separating himself from her. She curled up on her bed with the note and read through it, completely breaking down by the time she finished. What had happened to make him hate her? Had she done something wrong? What was she going to do? She couldn't think of answers to any of her questions. Erik had grown to be her best friend but it seemed she was not his. All this time had been a lie. He didn't care about her at all. He had lied. He had said they were friends. Were Meg and Garren lying to her too? Was she really all alone and living a lie?

She wasn't born to be loved. She was meant to be alone in a world full of people. She closed her eyes tight, trying to block out the pain. She felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest and stomped on. Darcey's eyes burned from her tears and she finally drifted off into sleep. Unfortunately, it was not peaceful sleep. She found herself cast into a pit of more torment. Memories in dream form.

She tossed and turned, sweat collecting at her brow, before jerking awake. She could hardly breathe and knew she had to escape. She grabbed her cloak, threw it on, and pulled on the hood before slipping outside. She managed to walk until she was out of sight before she burst out into a full blown run. She ran blindly, not even bothering to apologize to the people she bumped into. She didn't care anymore. She just kept running, tears continuing down her face as her legs started to burn from the exercise. Finally she couldn't go any farther and collapsed to the ground, her body being racked with sobs. Eventually she had no more energy and just lay on the cold, hard ground, whimpering as tears leaked out of her eyes to streak down her dirty face.

She jerked away and scrambled back from a sudden touch from something. "Stay away from me!" she squeaked out.

Garren held up his hands in a gesture that said he wasn't going to hurt her. "Shh. It's just me. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help you.  
He crouched down and held out his arms to her. She collapsed into them and cried more tears that she didn't think she had anymore. She was limp in his strong arms and she found herself wishing that they were someone else's. She cried harder at the thought. Garren picked her up and cradled her in his arms like a baby. "I'm going to take care of you."

"Don't tell Meg. I don't want her to know," she whispered before falling captive to her exhaustion. Garren shifted her limp body so that it was cradled closer to his chest and walked towards the opera house, taking back roads and entering through the back. He made his way to her room, glad the hall was deserted. He closed her door with his foot and laid her on top of the bed.

What had upset her so much? How could he help her? Looking at her dirty face, he figured the least he could do was clean her up a bit. He got a wash cloth and some warm water and bathed her face and arms. She hardly moved while he washed the dirt and tears off of her that had it not been for her chest rising with every breath, he would have thought she was dead. She looked much like a glass doll that if you weren't careful, might break if handled too roughly. Garren pulled a chair over to the side of the bed so that he could watch over her. He didn't care to think what might have happened to her had he not happened upon her. Her life had obviously been hard on her and he wondered how he could help her. He noticed two notes on the ground and picked them up, folding the tear-stained paper. He would not intrude on her privacy. If she wanted to tell him that was great, but he would not read the notes.

"Darcey!" Meg called, running towards the room. Garren placed the notes in the jewelry box by the bed before Meg burst into the room. "Oh, Garren! What happened to her?" she exclaimed in a lowered voice when she saw that her friend was sleeping. Garren had a feeling that Meg could have yelled at the top of her lungs and Darcey wouldn't have heard her. Garren gestured her over and sat her on his lap. He pulled her back into his arms and rested his chin on her shoulder. Her hands covered his where they rested on her stomach.

"I don't know. I found her crying in the street. She didn't want you to know."

"My mother told me. I don't know how she knew. What are we going to do? Is she going to be alright? I'm worried about her."

"Don't worry. She'll be fine. She just needs time. I think she needs to sleep the most right now. Then she will need to have friends nearby as she recovers." Meg nodded and leaned back against him.

"Thank you for helping her. She's a good friend of mine. One of my best."

"She's mine too. Don't worry. We'll take care of her." He placed a kiss on her shoulder. "We'll take care of her."


	25. Chapter 25: Inner Strength and Courage

**A/N: Sometimes we just have to find our inner strength and courage in order to make it through. You have to dig real deep but it is worth it in the end. I hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter Twenty-five**

**Inner Strength and Courage**

Darcey woke up several hours later to see Meg in Garren's arms, the two of them talking in low tones. She closed her eyes again so they wouldn't know she was awake. She didn't want to interrupt their conversation. Besides, she needed time to think about the situation at hand, now that she could think clearly rather than with her emotions. It wasn't going to be the end of the world. She would have other friends and had other friends as shown by the two sitting in the chair next to her. She hadn't been completely sure about her feelings about Erik and maybe she will grow to like and maybe even love Lionell. She probably had a better chance with him anyways and he seemed to be interested in her. Maybe things would turn out for the better. She sighed. She then noticed how quiet it had gotten.

"We know you're awake, Darcey," Garren said, amusement obvious in his voice. Darcey opened her eyes to see two smiling faces and couldn't help smiling back.

"How are you feeling?" Meg let go of one of Garren's hands to squeeze Darcey's.

"Better. I'll be fine," she said to convince not only her friends, but herself.

"Good. You are still going on your outing with Lionell tonight. Your dress was delivered a couple hours ago."

Darcey's eyes widened. "I need to send him a note." She started to sit up but was stopped by both of them.

"Oh, no you don't," Meg barked.

"You have plenty of time . Plus if you get up, I'll have no reason to continue holding Meg, here." He winked at her as Meg's cheeks got rosy.

"Alright," Darcey said. "I'll stay here." She settled down onto her back and stared up at the ceiling in thought.

"We're here if you want to talk. We aren't going to force you, but it might help to talk about it." They were all quiet for awhile. Finally Darcey sighed.

"You're probably right. You know how I've been getting violin lessons? Well... I thought we were friends... my teacher and I, but I guess we are not. Now that I am good enough to be in the orchestra, he doesn't want anything to do with me. I feel betrayed. I considered him as one of my best friends. It appears I only have you two though."

"I'm so sorry. You do have us. We are both here for you. Right Garren? He was just telling me earlier when you were sleeping that you were one of his best friends. We'll help you anyway we can." Darcey rolled over to look at them. They were so cute together. They were holding hands and Garren had his chin on her shoulder. He pressed a kiss on Meg's neck. Darcey made a decision then and there to forget about her problems and to focus on enjoying life and helping her two friends with their relationship. She would be strong and push through this trial. She would fulfill Erik's request not because he had asked her to, but because they were the perfect match and deserved to be happy.

"Thank you. You don't know how much it means to me. I appreciate it." Darcey smiled at both of them. "Now what time is it?"

"It's about six so you have time to eat a little bit and get ready to go before your outing. I will take a note to him if you like," Garren said.

"You could just tell him that I will still be going with him. Meg, will you help me get ready?" Darcey asked sitting up. She realized she was hungry though that could be expected after not eating all day. Garren kissed Meg's neck one last time and allowed her to stand before he did.

"You two lovely ladies go eat a little snack and get all fancy. I'll go give Lionell his message and then meet you later. I want to take you to a restaurant if you will allow me, Meg." Meg nodded excitedly. "Great. I look forward to seeing you two, later."

As soon as he left the room, Meg pulled Darcey up to stand and hugged her. "This is one of the worse, best days ever!" They both giggled and went to Meg's room to get ready for the evening.

Meg pushed the dress box into Darcey's arms and urged her to open it. Darcey, just as excited, opened the box and lifted the black gown out. The beauty of the dress struck them again even though they had seen it before. "Go put it on, this instant!" Meg said. Darcey obliged, changing quickly. She had to have Meg help her lace up her corset tighter, since it had been loose, and do up the back of the dress. She then stood in front of the mirror. The dress had off-the-shoulder, long sleeves and a red ribbon tied around the waist. The fabric spiraled from the high waist down to the floor in a simple, but stunning design. The back was lower than she was used to but it wasn't too low. She knew her scars would be showing but few people saw them so it didn't really matter. She couldn't really do anything with her hair but went over to the vanity to brush it anyways while Meg changed. It was longer which meant it was getting more and more wavy. She didn't have full curls which had always irritated her to no end. It was just about a half inch past her jaw now.

Since she couldn't really do anything, she decided to wear her song bird head band that Erik had given her. She grabbed it out of the jewelry box she had brought with her. Since Meg was just now changing, Darcey decided to look through the box. She was struck by the beauty of one of the rings. It was quite simple. Just a silver band with a small ruby and two smaller diamonds on either side. She placed the ring on her right, ring finger.

"That's a pretty ring," Meg said as she came to stand behind her. She was wearing a pale pink dress with sparkles on the bodice.

"Isn't it?" Meg started playing with her hair. Darcey stood up and motioned for Meg to take her seat. "Here, let me braid your hair." She braided a pink ribbon into her friend's hair.

When they were done, they walked together to the front of the opera house. "Ready?" Meg asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She touched her locket for courage before walking into the lobby.


	26. Chapter 26: Dinner Outing

**A/N: I'm actually doing this story for my senor project for next year as well as for my enjoyment. I reached the half way mark of 50 pages with chapter 24 so now I just have to double the length. Shouldn't be a problem as I still have a lot more plot planned out. ^-^ I might even go over the length requirement. We will have to see... Let me know what you think so far. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Twenty-six**

**Dinner Outing**

Darcey and Meg entered the foyer to find Garren waiting for them. He ran over to them and kissed Meg on the cheek. "You look beautiful! I'm the luckiest man in Paris. Along with Lionell, of course." He winked at Darcey while he linked arms with Meg. "He should be here soon. He was just finishing up. Will you be alright to wait for him by yourself?" Darcey nodded. "If you're sure..." He looked at her questioningly even though he was starting to walk away.

"I'll be fine. You two have fun." Darcey grinned back at her friends and waved as they left. Soon she was alone. She was admiring one of the statues when she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. She pulled her gaze away from the statue to find Lionell looking at her. He looked her over, his smile widening.

He walked over to her. "I thought I had walked into the presence of a fairytale princess," he said, offering his arm for her to take. They walked outside to the carriage and the the coachman pulled out the step and opened the door for them. Darcey tried to meet the man's eye but his face was respectfully turned away and was hidden in the shadows. Lionell helped her into the carriage and climbed in behind her. The door was closed and soon the carriage started moving. Darcey looked out the window, not knowing what to say. She shouldn't have worried that there would be an awkward silence. "We should be there in a few minutes. I heard you were ill. I trust you are as well as you appear?"

"Yes. I am well now." Darcey had forgotten how good the upper class was at making small talk. She remembered wishing for more silence and less empty words but she was glad for it now.

"Good. I would hate for you to be ill." She glanced at him but returned her gaze out the window since she felt uncomfortable meeting and holding his own. "Who are your friends here?"

"You've met Meg and Garren. They are the only ones that work at the opera house." Darcey winced internally when she realized she was still counting Erik as her friend. If he didn't consider her as his friend, she shouldn't consider him as hers.

"How well do you know Garren?" Lionell asked. "He seems to care a lot for you."

Darcey looked up at his tone before realizing he was jealous. "He's like a brother to me. I believe Meg and Garren are in love they just don't realize the other feels the same way. I wouldn't be surprised if he asked for her hand by the end of the year."

He looked very relieved and Darcey had to try very hard not to smile. "Good. Very good." He leaned back against the seat and folded his arms. Soon a mischievous grin crossed his face. "We should help them. I should be able to get time off for both of them. The managers will jump to do my bidding." He smirked.

"That would be great! I would really appreciate the help. I so want them to be happy."

"I'll see what I can do. In return will you allow me to continue courting you?" He looked completely sincere so she nodded before looking back out the window. She thought she should be more happy about the idea. A silence descended on the carriage and she was relieved when it came to stop. The door opened and he helped her out after him. "Pick us up here in an hour. You may wait here or drive around if you wish," Lionell told the coachman before entering the restaurant with Darcey.

"As you wish, Lord Cocky," Erik, disguised as a coachman, replied when the door shut behind them. He ignored the part of his mind that was calling him a jealous liar. Despite the fact that he was determined to let her go, he couldn't help coming along. He grinned at the memory of the true coachman's face before he had fainted. The very sight of the Phantom of the Opera approaching, seemed to have been effective enough on its own without him having to knock him out. He had only had to tie him to a post.

He didn't think Lionell would harm her but he didn't like the thought of the two alone together. The man was infuriatingly gentleman like which gave him no basis for his suspicions. He didn't know what to do now that they were inside but at least he could watch them through the window. The night was surprisingly warm for it being the beginning of November but he had a feeling the nice weather would be fleeting. He would not be surprised if there was snow tomorrow. He wondered if Darcey liked the snow. He instantly berated himself for the thought. Why did he care if she liked the snow or not? He personally wasn't very fond of winter. He was glad his lair stayed warm even when it was freezing outside.

He looked in the restaurant window and felt jealousy run through him as he watched Darcey talking and laughing with Lionell. She looked to be enjoying herself greatly which only made him feel more jealous. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Why did he care so much?

Soon an hour passed and it was time for them to leave. They left the building and he was quick to open the door to the carriage. It wouldn't do for them to find out he wasn't the real coachman. She whispered a "thank you" to him before climbing in. It was probably just an automatic response but he still felt warm at her words. She was so beautiful and kind. She was as perfect as even his one time angel, Christine. Maybe even more so though he hadn't thought if to be possible. He wondered yet again what her reaction would be if she was to see his true face. It was unlikely to ever happen but he still wondered. He sighed as he began to direct the horses back towards the opera house.


	27. Chapter 27: Nadilee the Cellist

**A/N: Tis November 5th in the story now. Weird. Its been going so slow and yet so fast at the same time. I'm almost caught up with my note book now. Wohoo! I'm much faster on the computer but I didn't want to continue on here until I was caught up so I just had to keep making myself fall farther and farther behind. :P was just awesome. Well... You get to meet a new character today. Hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter Twenty-seven**

**Nadilee the Cellist**

"Violins only now," the music director said as they were having a practice for the orchestra. It was Darcey's first day and she thought she was doing very well considering that fact. She loved playing the violin. She was growing more and more comfortable with it and in time, she suspected, she would be as comfortable as she now was with the piano. She was so lost in the music that it took her a second to realize everyone else had already stopped playing. She blushed and dropped the violin from her shoulder into her lap.

"Sorry," she whispered, avoiding eye contact with the director. When the girl next to her nudged her however, she looked up and was surprised to find a big smile on his face.

"That was perfect, Mademoiselle. You have been well taught. I have half a mind to give you a solo." Darcey shyly returned his smile, murmuring a "thank you." "Hmm... I'll get back to you on that." He tapped on the stand to regain everyone's attention. Even Darcey was subconsciously always listening for that small sound. "Let's run through that last song one more time and then we will be done for the day."

When they were done, the girl who had nudged her, a cellist, turned to speak with her. "That was amazing! It isn't often that he singles someone out in front of everyone to tell them they did well. There's only about one person in each group that he likes but there are only two people other than you that have received the title of Perfect. Mark, he plays the flute, and me." She pointed him out before continuing. "My name is Nadilee. You probably think I'm crazy. Talking your ear off and we don't even know each other. I'm actually surprised myself that I feel so comfortable around you. Usually I'm fairly shy, believe it or not."

Darcey smiled as she finished putting her violin and music away. "I'm happy to meet you. My name is Darcey."

Nadilee giggled. "Sweetheart, everyone knows your name. The girl that came here as a boy and disappeared. Then was supposedly held hostage by the Phantom only to return as a girl with a different last name."

She blushed at the knowledge. She had forgotten how gossip could spread. She was tempted to tell the true story but knew it wouldn't change anything. They always believed the better story, the more entertaining and scandalous the better, even if it had no basis to it. She remembered how some people's whole reputations were ruined but a false rumor. She sighed internally but smiled at Nadilee. She could see why the director had said she was a perfect cellist. Since they sat next to each other, she had been able to hear her play and had been impressed by her skill level. She wanted to get to know this girl. She seemed like a fun girl and it couldn't hurt to have another friend. Especially one she would be interacting with often.

"What did you think about the snow we got last night? I was surprised. It was so wonderful yesterday. I guess I should just be glad that it's been warm so long."

"I know what you mean. I enjoyed the warm weather. It is usually so cold for my birthday. It's always been a downside to having my birthday on November third. I was hoping we would have at least one more day of good weather before the snow. I get so cold in the winter. Especially my hands and feet. I'm going to have to buy some more stockings and some gloves." The girls walked towards the kitchen to get some food. They had been playing all morning and into the afternoon. She was afraid her stomach would start growling if she didn't eat soon. "Do you want to eat with me today? Meg is going to going to eat with Garren, so I won't have anyone to talk to." Nadilee nodded and they proceeded towards the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Erik was pulling on his gloves and grabbing a couple notes to deliver. It had snowed and he knew it would be colder up above. His hands often got cold so he would usually wear his leather gloves, especially when going to the surface. It was a well known fact, almost as much as the mask he wore. He had loosened his control lately and the managers had neglected to give him his salary. That simply would not do. He hadn't made his presence as clear and as consequence, the managers did not fear him as much as they should.

He started towards the surface after he threw on his cloak. The closer he got to the surface, the colder it got and he shivered. He wondered if Darcey was cold. He sighed at the thought. He couldn't seem to get her out of his mind no matter how hard he tried. He only hoped his heart wouldn't suffer when she married Lionell as he was sure she would eventually do. He dropped off a note in the managers' offices and the patron's. He was walking down the hallway when he heard someone coming towards him. He ducked into the shadows a moment before Nadilee and Darcey came into sight. They stopped to look out the window opposite his hiding place and he silently cursed his luck. Why couldn't they have kept walking? Or better yet, why had he decided to walk in the hallway instead of the pathway on the other side of the wall that he was currently pressed up against. Darcey shivered and Nadilee grabbed both of her hands.

"Darcey! You're hands are freezing!" She started rubbing her hands in an attempt to warm them. Darcey just shrugged.

"They are always cold. More so in the winter." She pulled her hands away and tucked them under her arms so that her arms were crossed. "I'm going to buy some gloves today. I just got my first wages so I can buy them now." She smiled and looked back out the window. "It sure looks beautiful out there. All white and clean." She sighed sadly and stood silent.

Why would that make her sad? He couldn't think of a reason for her to be sad. He must have made some kind of sound because she looked towards where he stood. He didn't dare move in case she hadn't seen him. A look crossed her face that he couldn't read.

"What are you looking at?" Nadilee asked, turning to try and see what was there. Before she could turn all the way, Darcey grabbed her arm.

"It's nothing. I thought I had seen something but I didn't. Let's go. I could use a companion to go shopping with." Nadilee nodded and they started walking away. After they had taken a couple steps and Nadilee had started talking, Darcey looked back towards him. She waved shyly before disappearing around the corner.

He sighed with relief and hurried to enter the passage before anyone else happened down the hall. He was glad that Darcey had prevented Nadilee from seeing him. He didn't know why she had, especially after the harsh break of friendship he had put her through. He had heard she had been ill because of it. He hadn't thought their friendship had meant so much to her. It was a pity she didn't feel the same way about him as he felt about her. He knew he had no chance at changing her mind. He sighed. He wished she could care about him more than just as a friend.


	28. Chapter 28: Cold

**A/N: Finally caught up! Yeay! I hope your enjoying this. Let me know what you think. Love ya all. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Twenty-eight**

**Cold**

Why had he been in the hallway? She had been lost in thought when she had heard movement. Most people would not have heard the soft sound but her time on the streets had improved her hearing. Likewise her vision had improved from looking for things and people in the shadows. She had felt a strong impression not to let Nadilee see him. She probably wouldn't have seen him anyways but Darcey hadn't wanted to chance it.

She and Nadilee had gone shopping after grabbing their coats. She had bought two pairs of regular gloves and two pairs of fingerless gloves that she could wear even when she was playing the violin. They were now walking towards her room when the director appeared and walked quickly towards them when he spotted them.

"Ah. Just the two young ladies I was wanting to see. I've decided I want you two to play a duet together. Here's the music. Please try to run through it and we'll work on it after next practice if that's alright?" They both nodded. "Good! I look forward to hearing it. Have a good day." He hurried on leaving the two girls in shock at the good news.

"Can you believe it? We are going to have a duet in the next production!" Nadilee exclaimed excitedly. "I have to tell my family! My little sister will be so jealous!" She gave her a quick hug before running off. "I'll see you later!" she called before disappearing out of sight.

Darcey felt a pang in her heart and she turned to continue on to her room. She wished she had a family to run home to and tell her good news. Even her own family would be welcome. She shook her head. There was no use wishing for something that would never happen. She entered her room and immediately saw the note on the ground in front of the mirror. She hurried over, picked it up, and broke the familiar red seal.

_Darcey Dubois,_

_You will have heard by now the news of the duet you will be preforming with Mademoiselle Nadilee Bonet. I give you my congratulations. I know you have the skill to do it. You will be a good match. I would like to hear a trio with Monsieur Mark Tomas but that will have to wait for another time. Thank you for not giving my presence away to Mademoiselle Bonet. I prefer my presence to be known but not seen. I wish you luck in your future._

_-Erik Destler_

It didn't say what she had hoped for but it didn't say what she had expected either. She had not expected it to be as friendly as it had been. Even the way he had addressed people said something. Though she wished he hadn't tacked on her last name, she was glad he had dropped the "Mademoiselle." He had also signed with his real name. Now that she closed the note, she noticed the seal was not the usual skull but was his initials. Maybe they could still be friends. She didn't want to get her hopes up with hardly a basis for them but she couldn't stop the feeling from entering her heart. There was still a chance. Even a slight chance was welcome when previously she had thought it impossible.

Darcey placed the note into the bottom of her jewelry box on top of the other notes she had received from him. She put on the head band and another ring that had caught her fancy when she had looked through the contents of the box. It had a treble clef on it as well as various music notes going around the band and it fit perfectly on her littlest finger of her left hand. She admired the silver band against the black leather of her fingerless glove for a second before getting her violin and playing through the song for the duet. She spent the rest of the afternoon practicing except for the few minutes she had spent talking to Meg who had come to congratulate her.

Now Darcey laid curled up in a ball on her bed, trying to get warm. She was freezing. She shouldn't be this cold. She dearly wished for warm arms to be wrapped around her. She shivered before an idea entered her mind. She had gone to Erik's room before. Maybe she could do so now. Instead of seeking comfort, she was now seeking warmth. She tried to shake the thought but it persisted. She got up and grabbed a candle. She must be crazy to do this. To go down there in the middle of the night. What if he caught her? What would she do then? She was too cold and tired to care at the moment. She would figure that out if and when that happened. She opened the mirror, closing it behind her. She could hardly think about anything but how cold and exhausted she was and how much she wanted to be warm. She started off, her bare feet silent on the stone floor. She didn't even think about the turns she made but continued on, not really noticing the change in temperature. The closer she got, the warmer it was but she was so cold it didn't really make a difference. She emerged into darkness, the only light coming from her candle.

She walked shivering, with numb feet and chattering teeth towards Erik's room. She was so tired and cold. Why was she so terribly cold? She walked through the doorway. "Erik? Are you awake?" she whispered, approaching the bed. She heard no response and she promised herself that she would leave before he woke up. She climbed under the covers and pulled the blankets up. Her fingers were so cold it made the effort difficult but she managed. She then fell asleep almost instantly.

Erik woke a few minutes later confused. Why was the bed shaking? He rolled over and his eyes widened. There was Darcey, shivering like a leaf in the wind. He put his mask on and touched her arm. It was ice cold. He didn't even hesitate before pulling her into his arms. She was so cold. He heard her breathing change and he looked down to find her looking up at him. "I'm sorry," she said, her teeth shattering. "I shouldn't have come here. I'm just so cold."

He shushed her, rubbing his hands up and down her back. "It's alright. Would you like me to get something to warm you up?"

She shook her head. "Just hold me," she whispered before falling back to sleep. He pulled her closer so that her head rested on his chest. She was so cold, it made him worried. She was no warmer than she would be had she been made of ice rather than flesh. Her hands and feet were positively ice and he flinched at their contact. His chest was bare against her hands and her feet were freezing as they touched his own. He adjusted the blanket to cover her better before closing his eyes.


	29. Chapter 29: What Morning Brings

**A/N: I thought I would post another chapter. I didn't think you would mind. ^-^ Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Twenty-nine**

**What Morning Brings**

Gradually Darcey had stopped shaking and had started to regain a normal body temperature. Erik had stayed awake for a couple hours until she stopped shaking. He now lay awake though she was still asleep. He combed his fingers through her tangled hair, thinking about the events of the previous night. She had come to him again. Even though he had broken their friendship, she had still come to him rather than to someone else. His fingers reached a tangle and he used both hands to carefully work it out so that he didn't pull her hair. It was getting wavy now and he liked the feel of his fingers running through the locks of her hair. It was still in the early hours of the morning but he had a feeling she would wake up soon. He wondered if she would be embarrassed to find herself in the arms of him shirtless. He blushed slightly at the thought. This was perfectly acceptable. She was freezing and he had warmed her up. Nothing wrong with that. He knew that society would have frown upon this and would have forced them to marry immediately. He wouldn't have minded. Too bad they didn't know. He chuckled lightly, causing Darcey to stir. He froze and she settled back down. He began to breathe easily again. He felt a pain in his heart that it wouldn't always be like this. Waking up with the one you love in your arms creates an indescribable feeling. He wished it would never end.

All too soon, Darcey started to stir. The first sound she heard was of Erik's heartbeat. She realized she was still in Erik's room, in his arms. She blushed at the feel of his bare chest. She felt his fingers in her hair and she slowly looked up at him, lifting her head off of his chest. "Hello," he said softly, a smile on his face. She was still embarrassed and couldn't find her voice. She tried to sit up but he prevented her. "Shh. It's alright." She settled back down despite her embarrassment. She didn't really want to leave the safety and warmth of his arms. "Let's just enjoy this moment while it lasts."

She was surprised at that. He was enjoying their embrace? Sure he hadn't wanted to let her go but that could be for another reason. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the rhythm of his heart as it beat consistently under her ear. "Mmm..." She could get used to waking up like this. She blushed furiously at the thought and was glad he couldn't see her face. He started combing his fingers through her hair again but then his fingers moved to her back and to the light scars that were partially exposed. As he started tracing the light, white lines, she finally found her voice. "Thank you. I was so cold and exhausted and I don't know why but I felt like coming here. I promised myself I would be gone before you woke up. I'm sorry I woke you."

"Shh... It's alright. I didn't mind. I'm just glad you are warm now." His fingers stopped on her back. "Will you ever tell me how you got these scars?"

"Will you ever allow me to see you without your mask?" He was silent at her question but soon she felt his fingers moving again.

"Some day. Not today. I don't want to ruin this moment," he whispered.

She whispered a reply back. "You wouldn't ruin it. There is nothing you can hide that would change my opinion of you. Maybe I'll tell you my story someday. It's not pretty and you might not see me the same afterwards. I wish I didn't have to remember what happened. It was horrible." They were silent, Darcey listening to his heart in an attempt to calm her mind and forget the pain in the past. After a few minutes she was able to push the thoughts away.

"I don't think anything could make me think badly of you. As much as I hate to do this, how about we make a deal?"

"Hmm?" Darcey had gotten lost in thought, his even breaths and heartbeats taking a calming effect on her.

"When I let you take off my mask, will you tell me what happened?" Her heart started beating faster. He had said when, not if meaning he would eventually allow her to do it. She thought about his offer for a second.

"If you allow me to take off your mask, I will tell my story," she answered softly and carefully. She hadn't told anyone what had happened. It would be hard to tell it but then again, allowing her to see him without his mask had to be hard as well. She sighed and went back to listening to his heart. She could feel the firm muscles of his chest under her cheek and his waist under her arm. She knew she was blushing but she couldn't help but notice how strong he was. It was then that she fully understood the situation they were in. She was dressed in only her nightgown while he was only half dressed. Society would have been scandalized had this had happened before her parents had died. They would have marched Darcey and Erik off to the closest church and had them married immediately. She sighed. She may like him very much but she did not want him to be forced to marry her. He didn't feel that way about her so it would only be a source of torture for them both.

"What is wrong?"

She laughed nervously. "I was just thinking how scandalous this would look." She felt his chuckle deep in his chest.

"Society would have a nervous break down, wouldn't they?" She made a sound of agreement and instantly relaxed. She knew he wasn't always like this but she decided to enjoy this side of Erik. She knew she should leave soon but couldn't bring herself to move. "I'm sorry, Darcey," he said suddenly, confusing her for a second. "I've been cruel. I apologize."

She could hear the emotion in his voice and the catch in his breath. "It's alright. Don't worry about it. All is forgiven." He took a deep breath before relaxing slightly. "I forgive you. It's in the past now." They were both quiet for a long time. Darcey lost in thought about what she wished she could put where is belonged in the past. She was afraid it might haunt her for the rest of her life.


	30. Chapter 30: Warm

**A/N: Guess what I almost did... I almost gave you guys chapter 31 without giving you this chapter. That would have been sad. I liked this chapter. TheNugget... You will be pleased with this chapter. You'll figure out why quickly enough. Anyways... ENJOY!**

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**Chapter Thirty**

**Warm**

They stayed like that four a while until it was late in the morning. "As comfortable as I am, and trust me I am comfortable, it's time for you to return to the surface. You will be missed otherwise. Wouldn't want anyone to think you spent the night in a man's bed," he teased. "You might want to get dressed first. It's bound to be freezing up there still." She sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed before standing. She heard him stand up as she walked to the door. She glanced back to see the scars on his back before he pulled on a shirt. Darcey quickly moved out of sight before he caught her watching him. She moved into the room she still called her own. She got all the way dressed but couldn't get her corset laced up. Blushing, she went to find Erik. She shouldn't be embarrassed. She had just spent the night in his arms wearing less than this but she couldn't help it. She found him in the kitchen, preparing a light breakfast for them.

She cleared her throat before speaking. "Erik, will you please help me?" She turned to expose the corset strings that were peeking through th unbuttoned back of her dress. He stepped up behind her and she felt a strange thrill run down her spine at his touch. He effectively tightened the strings and started doing up the buttons. She started to protest, saying she could do it but his shushed her. She held still as he slipped the buttons through the holes. When he was done, she whispered, "Thank you, Erik."

"Not a problem," he whispered back. She turned and found him to be really close. She felt the heat rise up her neck and couldn't help but look at his lips. She wanted him to kiss her. She was embarrassed at the thought but it was true. She wanted to get up on her toes and press her lips against his. She wasn't brave enough to follow through but she wanted too. He reached up a hand and tucked her hair behind her ear before stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Come, let's eat and I'll walk with you to the surface," he whispered. Darcey was disappointed when he stepped away to pull out a chair for her. She wished he would have kissed her. Why would he do that if he didn't love her though? He wouldn't. She sighed and sat down.

They ate quickly, remaining silent as they were both lost in thought. Erik wondered why he hadn't just leaned forward and kissed her. It would have been so easy. He ran a hand through his hair. He knew why. He hadn't wanted her to reject him. What if she had been disgusted? How would he have been able to live with that knowledge? He honestly didn't know. It would hurt to have her reject him but at least he wouldn't be left wondering. They both finished eating and he pulled out her chair. They began walking towards the surface. It got gradually colder and Darcey shivered, grabbing hold of his arm and walking close to him. They eventually got to the surface and they stopped in front of the mirror. He ran a hand through his hair and turned to face her. They were so close he again wondered what would happen if he were to kiss her. "Darcey, I..." He tucked her hair back behind her ear. He kept looking at her lips and her eyes and back again. He couldn't figure out how to continue. Their faces were only a few inches apart. He wouldn't do it. He couldn't risk her reaction. He started to move away but was surprised when she grabbed hold of his lapels and pulled him to her, pressing her lips gently against his. He was startled for a second before he wrapped his arms around her carefully, as if afraid to scare her, and returned the gentle kiss. The brief kiss was over before he had wanted it to be but it didn't matter. As she rested her head against his chest, he felt his heart skip a beat. She had kissed him!

What had she done? She hadn't been able to think of anything but how much she wanted to kiss him. They had been so close and as he had started pulling away, she couldn't help herself. She had pulled him to her. She could tell he had been surprised at first but then had kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her. She knew she was inexperienced but then again, he couldn't have that much experience either. She sighed knowing she had to go. She hoped he wouldn't avoid her all the time. She missed the time they had spent before. The talking and just being together. "I have to go," she whispered, regret coloring her voice. He sighed and gently moved away, putting distance between them. He tucked the stray piece of hair back behind her ear yet again before dropping his arms to his sides. He looked about as ready to leave as she felt. "Will I see you again?" she whispered, scared to hear his answer.

"I do believe will see each other soon." He looked her over, just now really realizing what she was wearing. Sure he had helped her but he hadn't been paying attention. He had been too busy looking at her eyes. Her mouth. She was wearing a pale pink dress with long sleeves. He had noticed that her scars peeked up over the back. She looked very beautiful in it though he thought she looked beautiful all of the time. "Soon," he repeated. He turned to walk away but didn't make it two steps before he turned back and pulled her back into his arms. He pressed his lips back against hers for a brief but urgent kiss. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as she returned the kiss. It only lasted a couple seconds but when he pushed her gently to stand at arms length, they both were panting lightly. He ran a hand through his hair before turning and positively running down the passageway.

Darcey leaned against the cold glass, suddenly very warm despite the cold air. She was out of breath and was glad he had left. She didn't think she could have contained herself much longer. She slipped into her room and shut the door behind her. She had to relax. She would never be able to focus on playing the violin if she didn't. She took several deep breaths until she could breath properly. She decided to take a short walk outside before practice started. She pulled on her gloves and got her coat before going out.

The day was clear though the ground was white with snow. It hadn't snowed the previous night as it had been too cold, so she could see places where the snow was no longer white and it made her sad. She hated to see the defiled snow. She figured she was cooled off enough so she returned to get her things and go to practice. She wouldn't let thoughts of the past ruin her day. It had started out so wonderfully she hated to see it ruined. With this thought in mind, she started off to practice.


	31. Chapter 31: Passing of Time

**A/N: Next chapter. Delivered as promised. May I just say how much TheNugget's review meant to me? It was very encouraging and made me want to get this chapter up as soon as I physically could. You can thank them for that. ^-^ Well.. here it is and more will be coming shortly. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Thirty-one**

**Passing of Time**

The next week passed by quickly. Darcey had practice everyday and then hurried to eat and go to her room or outside rather than chance hearing La Carlotta anymore than absolutely necessary. The rest of the cast was learning the dances and looking over the scripts until the orchestra knew the songs well enough to play while they practice. Darcey was afraid it wouldn't be much longer before that occurred. No more than a couple days. She spent the afternoons practicing on her own or with Nadilee. She spent the evenings often with Nadilee or Meg, often both and half the time with Meg was spent with Garren. Darcey hadn't physically seen Erik but had seen the evidence of his presence. The first night, she got in bed to find that a warming pan had been placed under her mattress. Every night after, there was a warming pan there. One especially cold night, he had placed a hot brick wrapped in a towel at the foot of her bed to keep her feet warm. She had written him a thank you note after the first night and it had not been there when she returned to her room. Today, she was going to spend the afternoon with Lionell. He had been busy all week and hadn't been free until today. She had felt bad rejecting the offer after he had followed through with his side of the bargain.

She combed through her hair before placing her headband back on. She didn't know how to improve her appearance anymore. She sighed. Why did she care what he thought? She shouldn't feel the need to perfect her appearance. She turned her back on the mirror. "Here goes nothing," she whispered to herself before heading towards his office. She knocked on the door and heard him call for her to come in. She opened the door and he looked up from his desk. He grinned at her.

"I'll be right with you. Just let me sign this..." He looked back down, signed his name, and pushed his chair back so he could walk over to her. On his way over, he picked up a picnic basket. Darcey raised her eyebrow at that. "Don't worry, we aren't going outside in the snow." He pulled out a blanket and spread it out on the floor. He proceeded to set out food and she kneeled down to help him. While they sat and dished up, Darcey reflected on how different this picnic was compared with the one she had had several weeks ago. She preferred the more relaxed and simple picnic they had shared. "So, how is your duet coming?"

"Excellent. I'm so excited for the production. We are going to start practicing altogether soon."

"I'm happy for you. I look forward to it." They were silent for awhile until he thought of another topic of conversation. "Tell me about your child hood. Where did you grow up? I wouldn't happen to have known your parents would I?"

"Yes, you did know them. My father was Lord Dubois. My childhood home was near yours."

His jaw dropped. "You are teasing me, aren't you?"

She shook her head. "I'm not. My full name is Darchelle Dubois."

Lionell stared at her for a minute before recognition dawned. "I knew you. Before I mean. I believe we might have even played together as children. What happened to you? People talked about how you had disappeared for weeks."

She made a confused face. "I didn't disappear. I was kicked out of my home by a distant cousin. I had to sell all of my things and fend for myself."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know. You know how rumors are. Some people said you ran away with a lover. Some said you were kidnapped. I never found out the truth. Time passed and society moved on." Darcey just nodded. It was weird talking to someone who knew her from before. "You've changed. Did you know that?" He had no idea how much. "You're not as shy anymore, that's for sure." She nodded. "Was it hard? I mean you went from having so much to having so little. I don't think I could do that."

Darcey nodded slowly. "It was the hardest things I've had to experience." Especially one part of it. She didn't think she would ever be able to forget what had happened that day.

"I'm sorry that you had to suffer. Why did he kick you out?"

Darcey went completely pale. This was not something she wanted to talk about. "My parents didn't leave me with anything. They didn't care enough about me. I was in mourning and couldn't leave my home. Then the current Lord came and told me that I had been left with nothing. That they had given him everything. He gave me three days to sell all my things and leave. It's a horrible feeling to know that your parents loved a complete stranger more than you, their own child." Lionell was silent as he thought about what she had said. His eyes brightened and he opened his mouth to speak but shut his mouth again. "What?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing." Darcey could tell it wasn't nothing but if he didn't want to talk about it, then she wouldn't force him. He shook his head. "This is not how I wanted this to go. I apologize." She just nodded. "Will you allow you to make it up to you?" She looked at him questioningly. "Are you free next Tuesday?" She nodded her head causing him to grin. "Good. You aren't anymore."


	32. Chapter 32: Too Much Practice

**A/N: Well... I stayed up too late again... Oh well. It was worth it... Mostly :P**

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**Chapter Thirty-two**

**Too Much Practice**

A few days later, the director decided they were ready to practice with the rest of the cast. The second La Carlotta opened her mouth, the room was filled with such a terrible, shrill sound that Darcey flinched, playing the note wrong to make an equally horrible sound. No. Carlotta was definitely worse. "It's best if you tune her out," Nadilee said sympathetically. Darcey nodded and proceeded to follow the advice as well as possible but she couldn't help but flinch at a few exceptionally horrible notes. Why in the world, was she the lead? Darcey could sing way better than that.

In following practices, Darcey had an easier and easier time tuning her out. Carlotta got somewhat better but she was still terrible. While she sounded horrible, Nadilee and Darcey's duet was sounding wonderful.

They were now on the final week of rehearsals and were very busy perfecting everything. In early weeks of practicing, Darcey had had lots of free time. Much of that time had been spent with Lionell. She had even seen Erik once when he had come to her room to help her with an exceptionally difficult part in her music. Now, almost all her time was spent rehearsing and practicing. Sometimes even meals were sacrificed in the chaos that ensued while trying to prepare for opening night. Opening night was on December fifth, just four short days away. Darcey was excited but also terribly nervous. This would be the first time she would be preforming in front of people. There might be people she knew from before. What if someone recognized her? She tried to push the thought out of her mind. Lionell hadn't recognized her, why would someone else? Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind yet again, Darcey focused on the music. For the most part, the orchestra was ready. The cast however, didn't seem like they would be ready in time. Costumes were unfinished and disasters often occurred. Nadilee said it was normal and that they would be ready when opening night came. Darcey had a hard time believing it.

Finally, around midnight, they were allowed to go to bed. Darcey slowly put her violin and music away. She was so tired. She managed to walk, dragging her feet, to her room and set the violin case down heavily on the floor. She coughed and rubbed her eyes tiredly, while sitting on the bed. She smiled sleepily to feel the warmth coming from the warming pan under the mattress. She coughed again before climbing under the sheets fully clothed. She fell asleep instantly.

As Erik lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, he found his thoughts turned to Darcey. He had started to welcome these thoughts rather than attempting to push them away. He had walked pass the patron's office that day they had a picnic. He had felt the need to make sure that nothing bad was happening. To make sure she was safe. After checking to see what they were doing, he had forced himself to leave. It hurt his heart to see them together. Though he thought it unlikely, he thought he still had a chance of winning her heart. He wished it would be so.

Almost a month had passed since they had kissed. He wanted to kiss her again. He rolled onto his side. He wondered if she was in bed yet. The director had been keeping them up late in rehearsals for the coming production. She wasn't getting enough sleep. She spent almost every spare moment practicing when most were getting some extra rest.

Since he couldn't sleep anyways, Erik decided to go check on Darcey. If she wasn't in bed, he would have to interfere and insist on shortening the time of rehearsal or at least convince her to skip extra practicing tomorrow. He didn't bother to throw on a shirt but just his cloak, mask, and boots. He didn't plan to be gone long.

He started up to her room, walking quickly as the air got cold. Winter could be such a pain. He soon got to her room and he slid open the mirror. He approached the bed and froze at the sight before him. He quickly lit a candle and set it on the table by the bed. He could see the sweat on her brow as she tossed and turned. He placed a hand on her forehead and was shocked by how warm she was. She had a very high temperature. He had to get her cool. He pulled back the covers to find her fully dressed. He quickly sat her up and began to unbutton her dress. She mumbled something and he paused.

"Erik... so warm," she managed.

"I know. I'm going to make you better. I need to change you out of these clothes." he finished with the buttons and pulled on the sleeves to bring it up over her head. He made quick work of the rest of her clothes until all that was left was her chemise. It was drenched in sweat and he knew it would have to go too. He gently pushed her back until she was no longer leaning against him. "Can you sit here for a second? I'll be right back." She nodded slightly and he let her go. She was having trouble sitting still and he knew he would have to be quick. He hurried to find her nightgown and returned. She looked so pale. He slipped the thin straps of her chemise off of her shoulders and she helped weakly to pull her arms out. He then pulled her nightgown down over her head. He pulled it down all the way and proceeded to pull her chemise off now that she was covered.

He pushed her down until she was laying down. He covered her with the covers as she was now shivering. He didn't know what to do. "I'll be right back. I'm going to get help." Darcey nodded, her teeth chattering, and closed her eyes. Wasting no time, Erik rushed to Mme. Giry's room. He knocked on the door and entered. He was surprised to find her up.

"Yes, Erik?"

"I need help. Darcey has a high fever."

"Did you cool her down? Change her clothes? What is her current condition?" she asked surprisingly calm.

"Yes to both. She was shivering when I left."

She tsked at him. "She's too cold. If she shivers, it will only heat her core more. You need to get her body temperature up to normal. Then place cool cloths on her forehead." She sat down on her bed.

"How do I get her warm quickly?"

"Hold her." Erik was taken aback.

"Pardon?"

"You heard me. Hold her in your arms. Don't tell me you don't want to. What man wouldn't want to hold such a beautiful young woman?"

"Certainly are blunt," he muttered.

"Hurry. The longer she shivers, the warmer she will end up and make breaking her fever harder. Once she is warm, only keep a light blanket on her. I will expect her fever to be broken by morning. In return, I will get the day off for her and make sure no one bothers you. Go! Now!" she shooed him out the door. "I trust you, now go!"

He couldn't argue with that and hurried to follow her instructions. He entered to find her still shivering. He climbed under the blankets after shrugging out of his cloak and stepping out of his boots. He pulled her against his chest. She whimpered and he stroked her back. It was going to be a very long night. He kissed her forehead. But she was worth every second.


	33. Chapter 33: Come Morning Light

**A/N: Here we are.. Another chapter and I am caught up in this story with my notebook. Just have to catch up in my other story, Music of the Soul, and I won't be able to brainlessly type anymore. I'll actually have to think! Lol. Hope you enjoy.**

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**Chapter Thirty-three**

**Come Morning Light**

Darcey's fever had finally broken at about five in the morning. He had managed to get her to drink water a couple times through out the night. He had been very careful not to get her too cold. After being up all night with her, getting cool cloths for her forehead, and bathing her face and arms in cool water when she got overly warm, he was very tired. Now she was well and all he wanted to do was sleep. He sat down heavily on the chair next to the bed and had just closed his eyes when he felt a gentle hand on his knee. He forced his eyes open to see her looking at him with concern.

"Come lay down," she whispered. She scooted over and lifted the blankets for him. He went gratefully and sank down heavily next to her. His eyes closed instantly. He felt his arm being lifted up and then she was in his arms. He smiled, kissed her now cool forehead, pulled her closer, and fell asleep. It didn't take even a full minute for her to follow suite.

She was startled awake two hours later by someone knocking on the door. "Darcey! Are you alright?" Meg and Nadilee's voices were heard.

Erik chuckled, his eyes still closed. "So much for no one bothering us," he murmured.

"What are we going to do? The door is locked, right?"

"Afraid to be caught with a man in your bed?" he asked, sending color to her otherwise pale cheeks. "I locked the door. I suggest trying to go back to sleep."

Outside the door, Mme. Giry's voice was heard. "What did I tell you girls? I told you to leave her alone and what do you do? You go and bother her. She needs rest if she is to recover. She has been well cared for. You can see her later. Now shoo! Go on, go!" There was a short pause before she spoke again. "If I just lied, so help me Erik."

Erik chuckled and Darcey couldn't help but smile. "I wonder what she would have done..." he murmured, amusement evident in his voice. "A pity I will never know..."

He yawned and Darcey placed a finger on his mouth when he started to speak again. "Shh. You need rest too. You were up all night with me." He chuckled and kissed her finger.

"As you wish, Mademoiselle." He yawned and pulled her close against his chest. She spread her fingers out so her hands were flush against his skin. It was so warm and she could feel the muscles tense when she first touched him before relaxing. She sighed. She loved the feel of his arms around her. As she studied him, she found her gaze pulled towards his mouth. How she wished he would kiss her again. As his breathing evened out and he fell asleep, she couldn't help but let her hands wander. One went to his back to feel the scars there. The other went to his face and she traced the lines she found there. The edge of his mask, his jaw, and finally allowed her finger to trace his mouth. He stirred and before she could move, his eyes opened. She blushed to have been caught.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and pulled away. Or rather she would have pulled away had his hand not encircled her wrist.

"Don't be," he whispered. He kissed each of her fingers before letting go, giving her silent permission to continue her exploration of the contours of his face. She hesitantly moved her finger down, drawing a line to his chin. Then she once again followed the path along his jaw to reach his ear and continue along his hair line before going down his nose and reaching his mouth again. She then made a slower course matching the first but on the right side. She hesitated, her fingers at the edge of his mask at his forehead as if wanting to pull it off. She sighed before moving her hand to cup his left cheek. "Are you afraid of what you might see? Of the horror that is my face?" he whispered, hurt coloring his voice.

She shook her head. "I am not afraid of you. I'm afraid of telling you what happened to me." she said, avoiding eye contact.

Erik recalled the promise they had mad to each other. He would show her his face and she would tell him her story. He had the sudden feeling to show her his face. He had no idea why but as he saw her struggling, he wanted to be brave for her and show her his face. He reached for both of her hands and held them in his before taking a deep breath. "I can wait," he whispered before placing her hands on his mask.

"Are you sure? You don't have to show me yet." He swallowed, nodded, and let go of her hands. He saw admiration in her eyes before she pushed her fingers under the edge of the mask and gently pried it off. Erik had to force himself to not close his eyes. He needed to see her reaction. He watched as she lifted herself up and placed the mask on the table before settling back down. He flinched slightly when she touched him. He was unable to read her expression as she used her fingers to lightly turn his face towards a faint beam of light as well as to explore the uneven surface of the right side of his face. He was surprised when she kissed his ruined cheek and felt moisture on his face when she rested hers against his. She was crying. She trailed soft kisses along his face as she pulled away. She didn't bother to wipe away her tears but instead was searching his eyes for answers. "Why do you hide?"

"Because it hurts to see people terrified by the mere sight of your face. My own mother couldn't stand to see my face."

"I'm sorry, Erik. You shouldn't have had to suffer. Couldn't they see past it to see the good in your soul? She stroked his cheek again. "I don't understand. Your face may not be perfect but it is not ugly. How could people mistreat you because of it?" He shook his head, too awestruck at her reaction to speak. Her tears dried and she continued to hold his face in her hands. She felt the overwhelming urge to kiss him but was too afraid. It wasn't long before he placed a hand behind her neck and pulled her face to his. He hesitated for a second before leaning forward and placing his lips against hers.


End file.
